Falling Up
by the girl from back then
Summary: They were girls who wanted the world. They held the stars in the palms of their hands. Seigaku OC team. Previously titled 'we are the stars and more'. Ch 6: 'Who calls themselves ore-sama and does not suffer serious social consequences' Atobe Keigo makes an appearance.
1. Hope Is Our Four Letter Word

_Seigaku OC team. Weird people. Me. A story. Tenipuri set in high school. __Possibly, possibly romance. I don't own Prince of Tennis._

**_A/N:_**_ I know there's a lot of crappy OC girl team stories out there and most people feel naturally inclined to group any new ones into this category, but believe me, I've seen some really, really epic stories, so please please please don't immediately think all of them are awful. Please read on to at least Chapter 5 before deciding to ditch my story, okay? I love you guys._

27/9/2014 Edit: I have changed the title of this story from 'we are the stars and more' to 'Falling Up'. My reasons for this change will come clear later in the story :)

'Nagisa!' The sharp, annoyed voice of her teacher jolted Nagisa back into the present. She wasn't in the realm of stardust, hopes and possibilities after all. She was actually in English class in some random high school in the middle of Arizona. Nagisa sat up, taking care to do it at a languid pace, making sure to arch her neck so that her golden brown bangs would fall stylishly to the side of her face.

'Yes,' she replied lazily to the mention of her name. She looked up, her amber eyes hard with defiance. She knew she was being a petty brat, but she didn't really care. Morals and ethics weren't important right now, goddamnit. Win the power struggle first and worry about sainthood later.

Nagisa couldn't back down from the teacher's stare; it would be like admitting she was a petty brat to her opponent. She smiled in a cat like way, with utmost satisfaction, when the teacher finally backed down with a small frown on her face.

'Pay attention in class,' she said resignedly. 'Insolent teen…' Although the last part was muttered under her breath, Nagisa caught it. A short spasm of white hot anger coursed through her veins. Nagisa hated it when people thought she acted insolent because she was insolent. It was actually because she wanted to crush others, to be stronger, to get on top. It was a dirty reason, but Nagisa really couldn't be bothered enough to stop. Several times she'd tried to make herself stop with the internal power battles, but it was so, so relishing.

It was so, so relishing to have her opponent crumble the way people had made her crumble in embarrassment and inferiority all those years ago back in Japan.

Nagisa forced down the anger, knowing that fighting back again would just about solidify the teacher's belief that she was a petulant, 'I think I'm such an adult' type child. But she knew it was futile. The anger was all down there, accumulating slowly to a climax. One day she'd burst.

Finally the bell rang, signalling the end of the last period. Nagisa packed up her bag with the same languid 'I don't care if the world is exploding right now' attitude, her friends hovering around her.

'Hurry up, Nagisa…' Anna rolled her eyes, tugging on Nagisa's sleeve. Nagisa ignored her. To her, Anna was a minor obstacle, not really important enough to be seriously considered. Nagisa felt a little bad for thinking of the other girl in this way, but it was true.

This was how everybody in Nagisa's group of 'friends' thought of each other. None of them really liked each other. They were just for show. They were fine with how they were. Nobody wanted or needed change. It just wasn't enough to be bothered over.

'Nagisa, you totally got her back there,' Anna grinned. It was a toothpaste commercial grin; stunning yet with no real feeling. 'You're just too cute, seriously.'

Nagisa smiled easily; a dazzling, fake smile. In reality, she hated her cuteness. It wasn't her. She wasn't the cute little angel with just the right touch of feisty everybody thought she was. Her power battles weren't acts of defiance. They were examples of poorly manifested bitchiness.

It wasn't long before Nagisa arrived home. Her father wasn't back from work yet and her mother was living the high life in Japan. Perfect.

She knew she should do some homework, but once again, she found she had little motivation to. Nagisa merely picked up her phone and opened up the internet. She told herself she'd just take ten minutes, but the minutes turned into a few hours.

Before she knew it, her father's car was pulling into the driveway.

Nagisa quickly cleared her history and threw her phone into her bag. She got out a maths textbook and made it look like she was doing work. It disgusted her, how easily she'd deceive her father, but it was necessary.

Just this once, she told herself. Just this once, and I'm not doing it again.

'Ah, doing work, Nagisa? That's very good,' her father smiled. Nagisa felt guilty, but it was just this once. Just this once. Maybe if she said it enough, she'd come to believe it.

'Now, about moving back to Japan to live with your mother—'

Oh no, he didn't.

Her father had mentioned Japan again. Nagisa felt an indescribable twinge in her gut. She hated that she was going to high school in her birth country of Japan starting from next week. It was such a change, after all, she'd only been through two weeks of second year at her high school in Arizona. Now she was going to go to Japan, so early in the first term, just because her mother was suddenly struck with a newfound desire to see the daughter she'd abandoned at age six for work purposes. Couldn't she wait a bit, so it wouldn't be so awkward? To suddenly barge in a few weeks later than everybody else…

Also, there would be more people to shoot down in order to climb to the top.

Nagisa felt apprehensive and sick. But then suddenly, heaven struck her with a genius, genius plan.

She could start anew. She could throw behind the twisted, lying, prideful mask and become a real, honest, hardworking girl. The girl she had been in. The girl who was weak, but had no guilt in her soul.

This was a chance for a fresh start. She couldn't let it go to waste. Nagisa wasn't a bad person. She didn't even believe there were bad people and good people. She only believed in normal people and choices. She knew she'd been making some pretty crappy choices, and now, now was God's gift, a chance for redemption, a chance to change that, to make good choices.

Japan wouldn't be so bad, after all.

There was a pretty good tennis club in the school she was going to. If there was something Nagisa was really motivated about, it was tennis. That feeling, the adrenaline, the fear, the sheer determination when playing a match…Nagisa hadn't yet met someone who could understand when she'd tried to describe it.

The feeling when you know you're supposed to be tired and aching and breathless, but you're not, because you can't feel the pain, the only thing you can register is the thrill of playing, I'm alive, I have to win…and then when the match finishes, you realise how tired and aching and breathless you are.

It only came to people who loved tennis, breathed tennis, lived for tennis. Nagisa was one of the few, the very very very few. Tennis brought out the girl behind the tough mask. It exposed her vulnerabilities, but ironically, her strengths as well.

On the courts, Nagisa was a strong girl. She didn't need break her opponent in order for her to feel pieced together even when her opponent broke her. She was above that. Just being able to play made her immune, above all those puny mortal feelings, invincible, free, fearless, spirit, god.

Nagisa smiled back at her father. 'I'm looking forward to Japan already.' For the first time in quite a while, Nagisa really meant something.

It was time for change. And she'd found a catalyst.

Nagisa dragged out some (legit) homework. Better start as soon as possible.

**XXXXX**

Nagisa was barely able to drag herself out of bed for her first day at Seigaku. She was still struggling to adjust to the different time zone in Japan. But she'd managed to subconsiously pull on her uniform, sleepwalk her way onto a train, and drift like a zombie to the principal's office in her new school.

And now she'd actually found her homeroom class. Well, a teacher had found it for her, but still.

'We have a new student amongst us today! This is Sato Nagisa. Please make her feel welcome, everyone!' Nagisa's new homeroom teacher, a bubbly young woman, practically chirped with genuine excitement. She shoved Nagisa forward to introduce herself.

Be a good girl, Nagisa told herself. Don't scare them, don't try to rise above them, don't manipulate them into feeling vulnerable and humiliated, be a good girl. Make your parents proud. Make them want to know the real you.

'Hi, I'm Sato Nagisa. I don't mind being addressed by my first name, everyone did that back in the States,' she started off with a warm smile, albeit a little shyly. When the tough mask was off, Nagisa was actually a rather shy girl who didn't feel too comfortable being stripped, vulnerable, in front of strangers. 'I like tennis and singing. Um, please take care of me!' Nagisa awkwardly fingered a stray strand of layered hair.

'Thank you, Nagisa-chan! You may have the seat next to Ishida-chan. She's our class representative and she'll be showing you around your first few days here. Please feel free to ask her anything, she'll be very happy to help!' Ikeda-sensei all but dragged Nagisa to the seat near Ishida.

Ishida was a girl of average height, with a long mane of straight chocolate brown hair in a neat ponytail. Her almost black eyes were quick and calculating. Her face was almost a perfect oval, if not a little chubby near the cheeks. Her smile was friendly, but it didn't quite reach those stone cold eyes.

Nagisa inwardly shuddered. She was extraordinary good at reading people, knowing what they're thinking and about to say…for her, it was shockingly easy, toying with them, pretending not to know anything, stringing them along, waiting for them to say something wrong, just to amuse herself…no, stop, stop.

This Ishida girl seemed like a fellow reader. Her eyes were forming judgements about Nagisa already.

'Hi, I'm Ishida Akari. It's nice to meet you, Sato-chan.' Akari's voice was as friendly as her smile, but it had a practiced, professional edge to it. It felt polished, shiny but so, so fake.

'Same here,' Nagisa replied. She tried to give Akari a genuine smile. She had to be the better person, like she'd promised herself.

'So you play tennis?' Akari inquired politely to start off some conversation once break came. 'I play tennis too. I was a regular in the girls team in my first year. I hope to make the team again, this time. They're having tryouts in a week, actually. Do you want to come along?'

'Ah, I'd love to. Thank you for telling me,' Nagisa said. 'So…you've been to Nationals like the boys, right? I've heard a lot about the Seigaku team.'

'Yes, we have. Ayame-buchou and Rie-fukubuchou hope to win this year.' Akari's ponytail swished in the hallway. Her eyes glinted. Nagisa spotted a fellow tennis fanatic instantly. Akari's demeanour changed noticeably whenever tennis or her team was mentioned.

'What are they like?' Nagisa asked curiously.

Akari smiled, and this time it seemed genuine. 'Hara Ayame, the captain, is very kind and organised, if not a bit timid. Honda Rie, her vice captain, is strong willed, positive and charismatic. She transferred to Seigaku in the middle of her second year.'

'Oh, that's nice. So, where's the tennis club? I'd like to hand in my registration form and sign up for the tryouts too,' Nagisa responded. She thought she was doing a pretty good job at befriending people so far. All her responses, smiles, gestures were from the heart. She hadn't gave in to any petty mind games and power battles. She was just the new girl, yet to be judged, yet to find a place in Seigaku's social hierarchy. Still brand new, yet to be painted. Whether with bright, radiant colours or dark, murky colours, she didn't quite know.

'Yeah, come with me. It's this way.' Akari led Nagisa out the hallway and onto a wide path. Cute little gardens adorned the side. Seigaku seemed impressive in and out.

Soon they stopped in front of a series of empty tennis courts. A girl was sitting on the grass near the courts. She was petite and curvaceous, with a shower of pink ringlets down her back and large honey coloured eyes. The girl looked up and waved. Her face was round and childish, Nagisa noticed. Innocent. An easy victim. Then she mentally slapped herself for going instantly into judgement mode. She was here to change, not worsen.

'Hey, Akari-chan!'

Akari returned the wave. She not-so-subtly nudged Nagisa, making her feel self conscious. 'That's the Hara Ayame I've been telling you about,' she murmured.

Nagisa's eyes widened in surprise. This short girl was the tennis team captain? How could such a childish girl be one of the best players in the nation?

'Hi, I'm Sato Nagisa and I'm here to join the tennis club,' Nagisa said politely. She was too shocked to smile.

Ayame, however, smiled easily. She jumped up and walked over to shake Nagisa's hand. 'I'd love that. I'll take your form. You can sign up for tryouts on the noticeboard over there.'

Nagisa offered her a return smile. Must keep smiling, must keep smiling, don't ever stop. Reach for the stars and the whole world can go and get stuffed.

'Sato-chan, would you like to play a practice match with me after school?' Akari's invitation shocked Nagisa. Nagisa had thought that Akari would have by now found out the girl she used to be, the girl she was trying not to be, and stopped trying to befriend her.

Maybe Akari wasn't the calculating type after all. Or maybe she just didn't care.

Nagisa shrugged. She'd reached for the stars, caught one, and now it was time for the last step; the world getting stuffed. She grinned easily. 'I'd like that.'

**XXXXX**

Akari sat on the court bench, feeling annoyed as hell. Akari was a girl who liked order, formulas, stuff which had been etched firmly into stone. She hated it, hated it, hated it when someone came crashing into her life and destroying everything she set.

Like Sato Nagisa.

That girl was, freaking hell, thirty minutes late. Okay, she was new, but how hard was it to get to the local sports centre? But then again, Akari sensed that this girl was a disordered, messed up, insecure person, so it made sense that her actions were like this.

In fact, that girl was so screwed that Akari couldn't read her specific thoughts and background.

It wasn't that Akari didn't like Nagisa, she was okay, really, it was more of that Akari knew Nagisa was so, so much more than what she seemed. She was complicated, stuff of the stars. Complicated, cosmic, and with the power to control the universe. If she got her shit sorted.

Okay, stop, stop, stop. Nagisa was not only ruining Akari's usually ordered thoughts, she was stomping across them like a stampeding elephant. Akari was supposed to be in control, the chessmaster, gamemaker. Nagisa was only the player, the pawn, the tribute. How the heck did it turn out like this? Akari suspected Nagisa had power. She just needed to harness it and bam.

There goes the world, raised on a pillar to heaven…or falling, falling to the depths of hell.

'I'm here!' Nagisa announced loudly as she ran over, her golden hair in a messy braided bun, the few streaks of red visible. 'I'm so sorry I'm late, I got lost.'

Akari stood up and clutched her racquet tightly. 'Oh, it's fine. No worries. Let's warm up a bit first, okay?'

Akari chatted with Nagisa, making polite small talk. That has always been her forte, but it seemed not Nagisa's. She looked really uncomfortable, which was strange, since Akari had her marked down as the head first, fearless type of person. And Akari was never wrong.

'Let's play now,' Nagisa interrupted. She suddenly seemed restless and bursting with energy. Akari suspected she was one of those types of players who went all out no matter what situation.

Nagisa tried to contain her pace at a walk as she entered her side of the court. 'You can serve,' she called out. Yes, she really was on a path to sainthood. Meh. Shit happens. Life goes on.

Akari served, her quick eyes glinting with amusement. Nagisa's gaze instantly hardened. Akari saw it in the way her body tensed up, as if getting ready to explode. A firework. Burning, alight, glorious, beautiful…or dangerous, backfiring in your face. Nagisa loved tennis more than Akari ever could. For her, it coursed through her veins. It was the state of living, where she was really, truly aware of her surroundings, her true self, alive, alive, alive…

Win, win, win.

Nagisa moved the instant the ball left Akari's racquet, like she was a magnet. She raced towards the opposite side of her court where she knew Akari would hit it. She put all her power into her return, all her fire, all her passion, even a little bit, just a little bit, of her soul.

The return came before Akari had even moved from her serving position. Like she'd predicted, Nagisa was going all out from the beginning. That was just her. Her way of showing she respected the sport. Her way of worshipping it. Living for it.

For Akari, tennis was just a game.

She loved tennis, of course, but it was just a game. She would never let it consume her, like it did for people like Rikkai's Kirihara, Yukimura and now, it seemed, Nagisa.

So Akari didn't care when she lost 6-2, because it was just a game. It didn't matter if she was, in Nagisa's eyes, disrespecting the sport. At least she was at no risk of turning into a monster because of it.

Akari knew what it felt like to see someone you thought you could love turn into a monster because of tennis. She'd been on the receiving end of something awful. It was a long story, one she really didn't want to tell.

Nagisa found she didn't really care either. As long as she emerged the victor. Her father was right, she realised. She really would suit Japan's competitive environment.

Always win.

'It was a good game,' Akari smiled. 'You'll definitely make it as a regular. You must really love tennis.'

'I do. It's my life and soul.' Nagisa didn't know how true that statement was. Nor did she know how much Akari understood.

Akari offered her another smile, although this time a little bitter, a little sad. She wanted to say something about the boy and the girl from so, so long ago, but she found that she'd lost her voice.

Nagisa noticed, though. She noticed the sheen of tears in Akari's usually cold eyes, the crinkle of those thin lips, the shadows dancing across her body. Nagisa noticed, and waited. When nothing came, she knew better than to pursue the answer. Maybe Akari wasn't the calculating girl Nagisa had thought she was. Maybe, just maybe, she was even more human than Nagisa ever was.

Akari seemed to feel Nagisa's wide eyes scanning her, analysing her. Close your heart, Akari. Don't let them in, don't let them see. Close your heart. Close your heart. Close your heart.

She put a hand on her heart and tried, tried, tried.

Once upon a time, there was a boy. And tennis. And a girl. But mostly the boy. Once upon a time, there could have been a happily ever after.

Close your heart so it doesn't get hijacked and shot from within again, Akari.

**And...end. Please have faith in meeeee. **


	2. Paint Me Into The Memory Of Your Pain

_**A/N: **__Thanks to __**Descending Rainfall**__ for your really kind review. I love love love reviews guys, so review. They give me motivation to get some writing done. I welcome anything, go ahead. On a side note to all my readers, remember that everything I do, every word I use, has a purpose that shall be explained later on in the story._

_**Disclaimer: **__I don__'__t own Prince of Tennis. I also don__'__t get why we need to do a disclaimer, but I guess that__'__s life. So now, without any further ado, I present to you the new chapter!_

Ayame sat under a sakura tree, trying not to pull tufts of her pink curls out. She hardly lost her patience, but this was one of those times where it was impossible for someone not to lose their patience. Ayame rubbed out her pencil mark for what seemed like the hundredth time, and felt herself resenting the boys team more than ever. While they actually had a proper coach to handle this sort of stuff, the girls team was mostly overlooked and had to handle paperwork, tournament forms and training by themselves. Even when they'd made it to Nationals last time…

This, of course, applied to the task of sorting the girls tennis club members into blocks for the ranking tournament that would decide the regulars. _How had Yuki-nee done this?_ _Maybe I should have agreed to let Rie handle this for me. But I couldn__'__t let her do everything; she__'__s helping me enough already._

Ayame was rudely interrupted from her thoughts when a voice cut through the moist spring air.

'I believe this is _my _tree,' someone called out.

She turned her head to locate the source of the voice and was miffed when she saw that it was a first year. Because honestly, no second or third year could possibly be as short as the boy in front of her.

'I'm sorry,' she sighed. 'I'll go…'

Ayame was above arguing over such a petty thing with a bratty first year kid, thank you very much.

The boy stopped her. 'No, no…it's okay, you can stay. I just wanted to make it clear that this is my tree.'

She raised her eyebrows in response. What a weird kid. 'Um, okay…thanks, I guess. Hey, what's your name? I'm Hara Ayame, it's nice to meet you.'

The boy replied, 'Echizen Ryoma,' before promptly falling asleep.

_Echizen Ryoma__…__isn__'__t he that super rookie I heard Ryuzaki-sensei talking about? Well, nothing to do with me, I guess__…__Argh! I can__'__t put Rie, Akari and myself in the same block! One of us would have to leave and that would be a waste__…_

'Ayame, Ayame, Ayame, what did I say?'

_Not another person to distract me?_

Ayame looked up, and realised that the beautiful, lilting voice belonged to her best friend. 'Oh, hey Rie. It's you.' She smiled. Rie was the type of person who _radiated _beauty, instead of making you feel ugly next to her.

Rie plopped down next to Ayame. 'I knew you were going to stress out over the blocks. Let me do it for you, you worry too much about everything,' she sighed affectionately. Rie tugged the clipboard away from Ayame and promptly began to work.

'Rie…' Ayame muttered, but her friend ignored her and charged on with the rest of the conversation.

'So, did you hear about the new transfer? Her name's Sato Nagisa, she came from the States a few days ago and apparently she's really, really good at tennis. She could be a regular, don't you think?' Rie mused, her cascade of wavy brown hair falling over her face, her tawny legs positioned carelessly against the grass. That girl made relaxing look glamorous.

Ayame remembered the slender golden haired girl who handed her registration form to her with Akari a few days ago. 'Oh yeah, I've met her. She seems okay. Talking about new transfers who are supposedly really, really good, do you think that's the Echizen Ryuzaki-sensei was talking about?' She lowered her voice as she nudged Rie to look at the boy sleeping against the tree next to her.

Rie seemed to only just notice Ryoma's presence. 'I think so…che. The boys team get _all _the advantages, it's freaking not fair. Do you know? Do you _know? _The council almost decided to cut our funding! Thank goodness I have contacts there and I managed to stop the thing from being passed.' She shook her head elegantly, her long neck arching like a swan's, her hair swishing back. Her cerulean eyes were glassy and cool. Somehow she made talking about manipulation and bribery so, so normal.

But then again, that was just how Rie was. She was charismatic. With those looks and that voice, she could do anything. She could lift you up high into the sky or bring you crashing down. Ayame supposed she should just be thankful Rie was a good person and would never think of doing the latter to anyone. Rie only ever used her charm for good.

Ayame also supposed she should stop judging everyone she talked to. It wasn't as if she was the pinnacle of niceness. Wasn't she the one to think awful, awful thoughts that made her want to crawl up into a hole and die? Wasn't she the one who bottled up her dark, dark emotions, pretending to be sweet to people she absolutely loathed? She was the one disrespecting people, not Rie. Never Rie, who had been the _favourite _to be captain.

Never, never, never.

'Ayame? I've finished the blocks,' Rie said. She was right next to Ayame, but to Ayame, it felt as if the girls were worlds apart.

'Oh, right, thanks.'

Ayame took a glance at the neatly organised blocks.

'This should be interesting,' she said quietly, gazing into the distance. Suddenly her soft honey coloured eyes seemed so, so old, as if she'd seen civilisations rise and fall and was peacefully watching the world, waiting for it to make the same mistakes again.

**XXXXX**

Fukui Airi was currently very, very displeased. If there was anything people should know about this pink haired, gray eyed girl, was that she hated being disturbed. Especially when she was in the middle of a very, very important painting for the upcoming art exhibition.

Airi had just, under the insistence of her hawkish mother, signed up for the tennis team ranking matches. Now, she was hoping to get some peace and quiet by immersing herself in her painting. She loved art. She could just sit there for hours, not noticing the time fly by, and paint and paint and paint.

She could paint a world. In that eternity, she could weave an intricate web of happiness, dreams, hopes and stardust. She could pretend, if just for a few hours, that she lived in her world. She could pretend, if just for a few hours, that it was only her, the art, the magic and living. No tennis, no hawkish mother, no expensive heavy racquet that felt so, so wrong in paint covered pale hands.

So of course Airi would be annoyed if a golden haired girl came skidding to a stop right in front of her canvas, panting heavily and gasping something about idiot kids, wrong directions, and ranking matches.

'I'm so, so sorry to intrude,' Nagisa said earnestly, her face shining with beads of sweat. She pushed her fringe out of her eyes. 'I'm looking for the tennis courts. I'm playing in the ranking matches, you see, and my first match is starting now in Court C. I'm a transfer student, so I really don't know my way. I asked a girl with two braids, but it seems as if she's given me the wrong directions! Can you please show me the way?'

_She talks too fast, _Air thought, _but wait, what__'__s this about ranking matches? Damn, I totally forgot! Tennis! I__'__m lucky I__'__m one of the last ones playing__…_

Airi looked up, her finger twirling one stray pink strand of hair. 'Oh, actually, I'm playing too, but my match isn't until later. Thanks for reminding me, though. If you hadn't come, I would've totally forgot. Come on, let's go there together.'

Nagisa beamed in thanks. _People in Seigaku really are nice__…__this place is already growing on me. _It was true. In break times, she hung out with Akari and some of Akari's friends. They found they talked easily with each other and it helped that they were in almost all the same classes. Nagisa still felt a bit wary of those eyes, but Akari seemed like a nice person. She was helpful and reliable. She didn't try any power battles.

Nagisa soon learned that this girl's name was Fukui Airi and she was a third year. Airi seemed like the dreamy, wispy sort of person who preferred to spend her time alone, with some incense and paint on her fingers. She was interesting. Nagisa liked her.

'Thanks for showing me the way, senpai! Which block are you in? I'm in C, with my friend Ishida Akari.' Nagisa flashed Airi a gorgeous smile, and was only a little miffed when the other girl only gave her a tiny nod.

_She doesn__'__t seem like the type to talk much, so it can__'__t be anything personal against me, _Nagisa decided. She walked onto the court and surveyed her competition. She'd done a fair bit of research and Akari had assured her that they were the only strong two in their block. _Akari must be quite good at tennis__…__they actually made an exception to the no first year on the team rule for her before__…_

Nagisa went up to the net and shook hands with her opponent, a fellow second year from her Japanese class. According to her research, or thorough interrogation of Akari, this girl was called Ito and had been in the tennis club since her first year, but was not a remarkable player.

The game began with Nagisa's serve. She found her lips curving up into a feline smirk. Tossing the ball high up into the air and jumping to hit it, Nagisa pulled off a service ace as the ball landed squarely between Ito's two feet. Her opponent was confused and side stepped awkwardly, swinging her racquet a split second too late.

With the gain of a point, Nagisa felt fire immediately coursing through her body, giving her adrenaline. She felt the familiar sensation of coolness envelope her; that same sensation where you put your hand into water so hot that it feels cool. Nagisa was burning with a passion for tennis. She was burning so bright that she didn't even know it. All she knew was the ball, the court, the referee's voice, the opponent, her body, the wind in her hair.

On the court, she was above petty human flaws.

So, it was no surprise when the referee soon announced, 'Game and match, Sato! 6 games to love!'

Nagisa went to murmur a 'good game' to Ito, before exiting the court to have a drink before her next match. She didn't notice an intense gaze on her back.

_If you burn, do we burn with you? That__'__s up to you to decide, girl on fire. Up to you._

Sato Nagisa would be an interesting addition to the regulars indeed.

**XXXXX**

Akari had watched Nagisa's match. Although she'd only known the girl for a few days, she found her utterly fascinating. She appeared only mildly focussed in class, as if studies were merely a formality. Meanwhile, on the court, she had so much passion, so much drive, so much fire. She literally burned.

Akari almost felt disappointed that they didn't get to seriously face off.

Nagisa had already secured a spot in the regulars. Right now, she was watching from the sidelines, hoping her friend would join her. Akari only had one match to go. It was against a senpai from the tennis club. Akari had played against her before and won. She felt confident. She felt blazing. Nagisa's fire had sparked something in everyone who saw her play.

She saw the golden haired girl flash her a thumbs up from the sidelines, and felt the flickering flames solidify into an aura.

_I will win. I cannot disappoint Nagisa. I cannot disappoint buchou and fukubuchou. I cannot disappoint my doubles partner. Even though she has graduated, I cannot disappoint her. I must cherish her legacy! She__'__s given me so much, so much, so much. And in return, I promised. I promised that I would stay on the regulars to look after Ayame-buchou and everyone else!_

Akari felt her muscles tense up as the other girl served to the left side of the court. Due to months of playing with this senpai, she had familiarised herself with her style. She always hit the ball to areas Akari can't get to in order to make her run around.

Well, too bad for her. Akari knew the right way to counter it. As always, she was in control. She was the gamemaker and the rest of the world were just little pieces.

She sprinted towards the expected ball and hit it in a speedy return aimed straight at the other girl's shoes, forcing her to step aside to avoid tripping and watch on helplessly as the ball bounced once and grazed the edge of the singles court.

Soon, they got a rally going. Akari made sure to hit backhands, which she knew her senpai was weaker in. The other girl slowly tired, even though her plan was to make her opponent tired. Akari ended the rally with a powerful one handed backhand, causing her opponent's racquet to clatter out of her hand.

'Game, Ishida! 1 game to love!'

'As expected of Ishida Akari!' The crowed whispered excitedly. 'Seigaku's doubles ace and a power player! She's incredible, isn't she?'

Akari felt her resolve solidifying with the praise. It was always other people who fuelled her on. Whether it was to gain attention, or avoid disappointing her friends, Akari always thought of other people when she played. She didn't care, not really, about light games with her friends like the one she'd had with Nagisa, but with serious ones, she had to leave her mark. Because other than tennis, who was she, really?

Ishida Akari. Student council representative. Decidedly friendly yet boring. Not a standout.

But when she was Ishida Akari, doubles ace, she was fascinating. Captivating. Inspiring. Someone who was noticed.

Akari needed something that defined her. God, she needed it. And that was exactly what she hated about herself. She always forced herself to believe that she thought tennis was just a game, but if it was really just a game to her, then why did she grasp at it as if it were a lifeline? Was it because she was _weak_? That thought disgusted her, sending tingling chills down her spine. _Am I really a weak person? Aren__'__t I supposed to be in control?_

She eventually won the match and her regular position. So why did she leave the court feeling so bothered?

**XXXXX**

The final shot came at such a speed that the ball made a _whoosh _as it brushed over the top of the net, dropping down onto the opponent's court without a bounce.

'Game and match, Honda! 6 games to love!' The referee said, when he finally found his voice. Rie had won the game without so much as batting a long, curly eyelash, in the same careless manner in which she did everything.

Nagisa, who was watching the vice captain's match after her own had finished, looked on in amusement. 'If Seigaku's got people like _her _and in doubles too, then I don't see how they failed to win Nationals last time.'

'A lot of stuff happened last time,' Akari said quietly. 'You might not want to mention it to anybody who was a regular then.' Her eyes suddenly lost their ice. As a shadow fell over her face, she looked younger, as if Nagisa was looking at the girl a year ago.

Nagisa knew better than to press on.

'Anyway,' Akari continued, trying to brush past her brief moment of emotion, 'Apart from buchou and fukubuchou, there weren't any really strong regulars last time. I guess that's why they let me onto the team as a freshman. I hope there'll be more talent this time…I mean, there _is _you. Us girls are pretty strong, it's just that we're always so overlooked when compared to the boys…gah.'

Nagisa shrugged, brushing her bangs from her eyes. She'd honestly never really thought about her strength in comparison to others. She'd always believed in her abilities, but she'd never cared about who was first and all that. She just wanted to _play tennis. _She just wanted the thrill that came with seeing the ball speeding towards her, the wind brushing her hair back, the sweat pouring down her face, the _fire _taking over her body and soul as she played to her best.

Then she thought about that senpai from the art room, Fukui Airi. Dimly, Nagisa wondered how she was going. Fukui Airi fascinated her. Nagisa was always fascinated by people she couldn't fully read.

'Hey, Akari-chan, let's go to Court D. I think a senpai I met is playing there. After all, there's little point watching these matches. It's obvious Honda Rie and that Ayame girl are going to crush everybody.' Nagisa suggested. Akari shrugged. She'd seen enough of Rie and Ayame's play styles in practice anyways.

The girls arrived just in time to see Airi's last match begin. Rie, who'd been guaranteed a spot already, had joined them.

**XXXXX**

Airi walked onto the court, her mother's words still fresh on replay in her mind, which felt like a thunderstorm in midsummer. _'__Airi, you were born with a gift. Why don__'__t you use it? Without tennis, how will you be able to support yourself when you leave school? Let__'__s face it, painting is hardly a secure career. Focus on what you__'__re best at!__'_

She couldn't get her own spiteful responses out of her mind, either. Now that she had no canvas to hide behind, no colourful paint to cover her dark thoughts, she felt raw. Exposed. Vulnerable. That was how she felt every time she held a tennis racquet.

It felt so, so wrong in her hands. Her soft, pale hands were for holding wooden brushes, not tennis racquets. Her soft, pale hands were for being covered in paint, not sweat.

Airi wasn't the ungrateful child her mother made her out to be. Didn't she try so, so hard to please her mother? Even though she hated tennis, absolutely hated the pressure, the harsh training, the turbulent thoughts plaguing her mind every time she rallied, she continued. She still took lessons every day. She still practised in the rain until she caught a cold or her hands bled and numbed.

'_Look at your brother! He__'__s in Wall Street now. Wall Street, Airi! And you, you say you want to spend the rest of your life rotting away behind a canvas? Why don__'__t you continue tennis? Think of the career you__'__ll have in the pro circuits! You have a gift for it, you know that. Stop being so selfish for once. Not everyone gets to choose what they want to do!__'_

She tried so hard to be noticed, loved, accepted. It began with her bringing back awards from art competitions and paintings she'd made. When her mother hadn't even bothered to look at those and abruptly threw them into the trash, Airi had been so confused. She'd been so numbed she couldn't find the tears to cry.

She'd originally thought tennis was her salvation. When her mother had deemed it was unhealthy for a growing girl to never go outside and made her take lessons, Airi had finally found something she was talented in and held her mother's approval. She'd heard her coach's whispers of awe.

_Tensai, _they'd all called her.

Airi had loved tennis once.

But then came the competitions, the tournaments, the days and days of jogging in the rain, practising swings over and over, being told, _'__No, you aren__'__t good enough! You__'__re supposed to have a gift in tennis! Do you really think the US Open will take you like this?__'_

_Do you really think you__'__ll be accepted like this?_

Airi forced herself to throw the ball into the air in a flawless serving position.

Her movements were mechanical. Perfect.

So, so _wrong._

Of course, she didn't play to her full potential. Airi remembered the promise she'd made her mother. _'__If you become the first seed, I will have sensei double your training. I will have you participate in the US Open again. And you will not collapse crying onto the ground this time.__'_

Never, never, never. Airi wouldn't cross that bridge yet. She'd avoid it for as long as possible.

She'd appear mediocre. She'd become a regular, but at most be slotted into doubles. She'd lie low. She'd lie low until the harsh words, cutting stares and feel of rough hands on her cheek came again. She'd avoid crumbling for as long as possible.

'Fukui-senpai is pretty good. Nothing special, but I think she'll be good enough to make it as a regular,' Akari murmured.

Nagisa didn't speak. She had a gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach, but she forced it down. Fukui Airi was an interesting person indeed.

_**A/N: **__I wanted to show all of the girls__' __matches, but since I wanted to create suspense and all, I__'__m going to leave the rest until their practice sessions. You__'__ll meet the full cast next chapter. I hoped you liked Rie and Airi. I left Ayame__'__s character out on purpose because her story will be very, very important to the plot. In fact, her story is sort of the backbone._

_In order to avoid confusion and all, I__'__ve made tiny, tiny character profiles for the OCs you__'__ve met so far. But I will not say their personalities, because that would destroy the purpose of suspense and hidden dark sides and all._

_**Sato Nagisa, 2nd year**_

_Appearance: average height, slender, creamy skin, golden brown hair with red streaks, amber eyes, very very pretty_

_People know her as: the transfer student from the States, the girl with a burning passion for tennis_

_**Ishida Akari, 2nd year**_

_Appearance: stout, plump cheeks, long straight beige hair in a ponytail, quick calculating almost black eyes_

_People know her as: the calculating girl, doubles ace, the girl who made it as a regular in her freshman year_

_**Hara Ayame, 3rd year**_

_Appearance: petite, tumble of pink curls, soft honey eyes which have a sort of ancient sadness about them_

_People know her as: the shy and kind captain, the strongest player, the younger sister of one of the regulars last year (I did mention someone called Yuki-nee in her thoughts)_

_**Honda Rie, 3rd year**_

_Appearance: stunningly beautiful supermodel type, cascade of soft brown waves, glassy blue eyes, tanned skin_

_People know her as: the charismatic and strong willed vice captain, the girl who wasn__'__t from Seigaku (the school she transferred from will be revealed later and yes, it will be a subplot)_

_**Fukui Airi, 3rd year**_

_Appearance: pale pink wispy hair that reaches just below her chin, very very pale, owlish gray eyes _

_People know her as: the quiet, artistic girl who spends all her time painting, the girl nobody knows much about_

_**I hope you like them. Also, remember reviews make me motivated to write.**_


	3. Bat Your Eyes And Lie To The World

**A/N: **_Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Here__'__s the new chapter, where we__'__ll meet the rest of the girls! There__'__s tons of tiny hints and foreshadowing that will become obvious as more chapters unfold. Remember, I use certain places, certain words, certain people in a situation for a reason. Also, I have decided that there will be romance later on in this story. If you guys have any suggestions, please tell me, there__'__s still undecided pairings I am experimenting with. And review review review. _

The sea of eager tennis players flooded the courts as they waited for Ayame to announce who'd made it into the regulars. Rumor had it that there was a new student who was a _former pro. _Of course, nobody really believed this, because rumors tended to spread and morph like wildfire here at Seigaku. Besides, who retired from their career when they hadn't even graduated from high school?

Fukui Airi didn't know what to think. _She _was, after all, a girl who'd entered the US Open at the age of sixteen, and dropped out after the first round. But nobody knew this. The new girl had to be quite high up in the rankings, if suddenly she became the topic of every conversation.

Silence finally fell upon the crowd as Ayame walked to the front of the crowd to address them. She spoke softly, although strength, firmness and determination were laced heavily into her words.

'I would like to thank everyone who played in the ranking matches. The new regulars are Hara Ayame, um, that's me…'

'Honda Rie…'

Airi glimpsed the brown haired girl raising her hand in acknowledgement of the applause she was receiving. She hadn't been in the tennis club, so she wasn't familiar with Rie. Before her downfall in the US Open, her mother had thought that the high school circuit wasn't good enough for her. But Airi had _heard_ about Rie. With a silent gulp, she forced herself to look at the beautiful girl who sauntered up with all the confidence in the world. _She__'__s so strong willed__…__so tough__…__I want to be like that. I need to be like that. How had she done it?_

'Ishida Aka—' Akari's name was interrupted and met with calls of 'No, duh!'

'Sato Nagisa…' People glanced once or twice at the girl who went up to stand next to Akari, but most of them didn't know who she was. Airi recognised her as the girl from the art room. Although Airi could sense the fire radiating off the younger girl, she had a strange feeling that Sato Nagisa was having difficulty suppressing demons.

'Ishii Chiyo…' A graceful girl with a mane of light brown hair and startling green eyes which seemed too large for her cat like face walked up, with her head bent. Whispers travelled throughout the crowd.

_Didn__'__t Ishii Chiyo get accepted into a prestigious ballet school a year ago? What__'__s she doing here, and in the tennis club of all places?_

'Shiori Akie…' Nobody paid attention as a plain looking girl with straggly cinnamon toast hair walked to the front. Airi knew Akie; she had been placed in the same block as her. Airi had defeated Akie at 6 games to 4.

_Two more names__…__one of them__'__s me, and the other one__…__that must be the former pro!_

Airi almost fainted when Ayame's musical voice very clearly formed the words, 'Aoki Kaede'

_Aoki Kaede? No no no no no it can__'__t be her, it can__'__t be, definitely not the same one, why oh why is it Aoki Kaede? I don__'__t want to see her again, not ever, I can__'__t, I can__'__t, what are you doing here, are you here to laugh at me, no no no__—_

But as soon as soft gray eyes met the sharp green gaze of Aoki Kaede, Airi was certain it was the same one.

Those were the same eyes blinking at her from the other side of the net a year ago.

Those were the same eyes taunting her as she stumbled over her feet missing every single shot.

Those were the same eyes _laughing laughing laughing _as she collapsed onto the ground sobbing and shaking.

Aoki Kaede had been the one to break Airi in the first round of the US Open. She'd done it sickeningly _easily, _with a mocking tilt of that pointed chin, an _amused _raise of those heavily pencilled eyebrows. _Was it so easy for Aoki Kaede to break people? Was it so enjoyable too? Was that why she played tennis?_

She'd shattered Airi's self confidence and motivation, extinguished her fire, with a careless flick of the wrist holding her racquet.

Airi barely missed her name being called out. It was only until the girl beside her nudged her that she realised she still had to trudge up to join _Aoki Kaede _at the front.

Kaede didn't give Airi one single look.

**XXXXX**

'Ryuzaki-sensei, you're really merging the teams?' Ayame asked for the fourth time. Had the coach actually said at the end of the ranking matches that she was merging the girl team and the boy team and would now be the coach of _both_?

Ayame wasn't complaining. It was about time they got some proper guidance. But a small, silly, ungrateful part of her hated that it was probably because the school board pitied her. They pitied her weak promise to the girl on the hospital bed, the girl who was from a time long gone, the girl who had such a big dream but she couldn't see it come true…_to have something so close, so close, yet when you reach for it, it goes away__…__and all you__'__re left with is a thin papery straw, a tiny strand of hope__—_

'_Ayame__…__you have to promise me__…__tell them I__'__m sorry__…'_

They pitied the burden she placed upon her fragile shoulders. The burden that was hers to bear alone.

'Yes, I am, Hara-chan!' Coach Ryuzaki repeated. 'I believe I just informed both teams after the regulars were selected.'

Ayame raised her head so that her flickering amber eyes looked at Coach Ryuzaki directly. 'This is because of what happened to Yuki, isn't it?'

Coach Ryuzaki didn't speak. 'Remember that our first practice starts tomorrow, okay?'

Then she was gone, leaving the pink haired girl clutching a cup of coffee and feeling very, very alone.

**XXXXX**

Nagisa and Akari sat on the rooftop, enthusiastically poring over magazines and newspaper cuttings.

'Here, here it is! That's her! _Aoki Kaede!_' Nagisa exclaimed, jabbing at a faded picture of a tall girl raising her racquet triumphantly into the air. The girl in the picture had messy, waist length dirty blonde hair. Her face was streaked with sweat and grime. Her legs were bruised and scratched. She was a stark contrast to the girl from the ranking matches.

That girl had neat platinum blonde hair cropped to her chin. Her skin was porcelain white. She looked sad, a little lost, far away from home.

But it was her eyes that had changed the most.

Previously so bright, glittering with unparalleled determination…Nagisa knew that look well. It was the same one she saw staring back at her in the mirror every time she pulled on her tennis clothes for a match. She'd seen it for a split second after the last name, Fukui Airi's, had been called out, too. Then it was gone.

Now Aoki Kaede's eyes were abysses of emptiness, devoid of emotion or life. Something, or someone, had extinguished her fire.

Nagisa was always, always able to rise up from a defeat like a phoenix from the ashes. After all, wasn't _feeling the thrill, loving the sport _enough? But this former pro was clearly different. If you brought her down, she needed to be lifted back up.

Akari peered closer and read from the accompanying article. 'Wow…at the peak of her career, she was ranked 22nd in the world. That's an amazing achievement, especially for a girl who was sixteen at the time. She could even defeat _Ayame-buchou__'__s true tennis._'

'Ayame's true tennis?' Nagisa asked curiously. She'd been hearing a lot about the pink haired captain. She still didn't see how such an innocent looking girl could be so frightening…but then again, something about the girl seemed very, very off. There were times where the captain would stop in the middle of a sentence and gaze off into the distance, her eyes glazing over and making her look aeons old. It scared Nagisa.

'You don't need to know,' Akari said quickly. 'Forget I said anything.' She would have to watch her tongue with the golden haired girl from now on. Nagisa, although seemingly sweet, bubbly and a little ditzy, what with getting lost and all that, obviously harbored a shocking amount of potential that probably not even she herself knew she had. There was something incredibly perceptive about the way Nagisa would pay attention in casual conversations.

Akari wondered if that had anything to do with the way she played tennis.

To be honest, she wasn't exactly sure whether she would like the true Nagisa. The girl Akari knew on the surface was sweet, friendly and bubbly. She drew people in. But Akari had a feeling that was not who she actually was.

_Who are you? Who are you, really? I can see so much fire inside of you. What would happen if that fire were to burn away your facade?_

Akari didn't want to know. She was _scared _to find out the dark side to her friend. She liked Nagisa, she really did, but would she still like Nagisa if she found out what her fire could do to her?

Akari had trusted once. She'd been curious, impressionable, under the belief that everyone was kind and good and friendly. Then she'd been proven wrong, and left there to piece herself back together.

She was being weak. She was being cowardly. She was being cynical. But it was _okay, _in her opinion, to be all of those things if it meant she'd never have to be _shattered, confused, lost _again.

**XXXXX**

Ishii Chiyo was never an unsociable person. She had her fairly large group of friends. She was popular as the graceful, elegant girl with so much potential. But upon returning to Seigaku, she'd decided one thing; she hated the company of her old classmates.

She hated the way they would look at her. She hated the way their eyes would rake down her body, as if tearing down her defences and snaring her soul. She hated the way they would whisper, _'__What the hell happened to Ishii?__'_, as if she couldn't hear a word.

But she always heard. She always listened. She was always there. A ghost girl, a shadow, hearing everything, seeing everything, _unable to do a single thing._

She saw the blur of movement as the bicycle spiralled down the hill towards her. She heard the boy's frantic shouting for her to, _what are you doing, get out of the way, I__'__m going to hit you, I can__'__t stop__—_

_BAM._

_Oh my goodness, are you alright? I__'__m so sorry, I really didn__'__t__—__I__'__ll call the ambulance, hey, hold on, it__'__s going to be okay, don__'__t cry, you__'__ll be fine, I__'__m so sorry__—_

She hadn't been able to do a single thing as the boy on the bicycle crashed into her, causing her to become tangled up in a heap of chain, metal and human. She hadn't been able to do a single thing as her ankle lay, paralysed, under the heavy frame of the bicycle, tangled in a bloody mess with the chain. She hadn't been able to do a single thing as she lay on the hospital bed, choking at the smell of disinfectant.

She hadn't been able to do a single thing when the doctor told her that—

'Ishii-chan!' Chiyo turned as she heard her name being called. It was that girl, Rie? They'd never met before. Rie had transferred to Seigaku the year Chiyo left for ballet school in the Kanagawa prefecture.

'We have our first practice this afternoon, yeah? Just wanted to remind you. Hey, do you know me? I'm Honda Rie and I'm the vice captain of the girls tennis team. It's nice to meet you!' Rie flashed Chiyo a dazzling smile. Chiyo was bewitched by this girl's friendliness.

Something about it didn't feel quite _right, _but Chiyo pushed that thought firmly out of her mind. She was rather lacking in the friendship department right now.

**XXXXX**

Shiori Akie didn't know what to make of herself.

She'd always been the type of person who drifted about from hobby to hobby, outer personality to outer personality, friendship group to friendship group, depending on what was popular at the time.

Now she'd been doing it for such a long time that she honestly didn't know what she really felt about those things.

She didn't even know if she was a bad person or not. If she was given the choice of saving herself or dying to save others, she'd choose dying.

Not because she was genuinely selfless. But because people would like her more. They'd honour her memory and the history books and social media would all be saying what a hero Shiori Akie was.

That was a disgusting reason. Not because she was selfish. But because she was weak. She cared _so much _about what other people thought of her. She tried to change herself so people would like her more.

Heck, she'd even changed her _handwriting _all the time depending on her whim. Now she wasn't sure what her natural handwriting was.

She had no idea of her personality. She had no idea of her morals. She had no idea and it hurt. It hurt that just when she'd begun to realise, it was too late and she couldn't ever go back again.

It also hurt that she couldn't stop, she was actually sort of relieved it was too late, she had an excuse to keep going.

She didn't even know why she felt so strongly about being accepted. She didn't have some sort of angsty backstory. She was a normal girl with normal parents and a normal financial situation. She should be _happy, passionate, strong, carefree._

Or maybe that was her true self. Maybe her true self was a girl who was destined to shift and morph, with no real identity or sense of individuality.

That thought just made her a little bit dizzy, so she decided to stop.

But _tennis. _That was going a little too far, even if you were Akie. Akie hadn't played tennis for two years. She'd quit because honestly, it just wasn't her forte.

But she'd heard a bunch of first year girls chattering about how amazing the regulars were, what an honour it would be, and all that crap, so she'd thought, _okay, why not?_

She'd signed up, fished out her racquet from under the bed, and actually made it.

It was purely luck. She'd been defeated by that Fukui girl. She'd only struggled into the top two because her final opponent had just recovered from a nasty ankle sprain and thus had a disadvantage. Akie had narrowly defeated her at a tiebreaker score of 37-35.

Now she was in a mess with no way out. There was no backing out now. She was a fricking regular and she had to start acting like one, otherwise the rumors will start, that Shiori Akie was—

_weak, wannabe, hopeless, good for nothing__…_

But they weren't rumors, were they? Akie hated to admit it, but in her case, they were true.

**XXXXX**

'Nagisa-chan!' Akari chided, impatiently brushing a strand of hair away from her face. Nagisa was taking such a long time to change.

'We'll be late to our first practice if you don't hurry up.'

Nagisa sighed and rolled her eyes at the ceiling. 'Okay, okay, I'm coming…'

She finished stuffing her school uniform into her bag and followed Akari out of the change rooms—

—and was knocked over by two freshman girls.

One of them had two pigtails tied up high, and two huge eyes sparkling enthusiastically. The other one seemed more shy, with two extremely long plaits and warm chocolate brown eyes.

'Hey, aren't you the girl who gave me the wrong directions?' Nagisa frowned at the quieter girl. 'Ah, never mind that. I'm Sato Nagisa and what's with the posters?'

She noticed the two girls were both holding huge posters, outrageously neon in such a way that her eyes burned, with scribbled drawings of somebody's face and scrawled kanji that Nagisa failed to decipher.

'Ano, I'm Ryuzaki Sakuno and this is my friend Osakada Tomoka…I'm really sorry about giving you the wrong directions, senpai…we're here to watch the regulars practice—' The shy girl began to say, before being cut off by Tomoka.

'Yeah! We're here to cheer for Ryoma-sama! These are the Go Ryoma-sama posters I made! I'm the president of his fan club, Osakada Tomoka. Just call me Tomo-chan! Hey, did you know that Sakuno's grandma is the coach? That's so cool, ne? You're a regular too, aren't you?'

'Um, hi…yeah, I'm a regular. Ryoma's the short freshman kid, right? I heard about him…' Nagisa muttered. _Tomoka talks too fast._

Akari pulled on her friend's arm. 'It's very nice to meet you, but we're going to practice right now.' To her extreme annoyance, the two freshmen followed them onto the courts, insisting they wanted to watch the regulars practice.

By the time they'd finally arrived, being hampered by Tomoka's questions about being a regular, they were ten minutes late. Coach Ryuzaki, the other girls, as well as the boys, were already there.

'You're late, girls,' Coach Ryuzaki frowned. 'Since it's the first training session, I will forgive you, okay? You don't have to run laps. You just have to sample our manager Inui's new vegetable juice!'

Most of the boys blanched, making a mental note not to be late. The girls all looked on confusedly. _What was so bad about some vegetable juice? _

Nagisa voiced the question out first. 'Um, okay, sorry sensei, but what's so bad about vegetable juice? Why is everyone reacting like that?'

Unfortunately for her, it was Fuji who answered the question. 'There is nothing bad at all. In fact, I recommend Inui's juice. It has a very distinctive taste and I quite like it.'

She shrugged at his response. 'Well, it should be fine. I'll have some—'

'Don't!' Kikumaru leapt in front of Nagisa. 'Mou, Fujiko is so mean! Don't trust him. That juice is such a vile, horrible, despicable, aborrhent thing ! You'll get poisoned, drinking that.'

Tezuka cleared his throat. 'We're wasting time. Just drink the juice, Sato.'

'Um, o-okay…' Nagisa stammered, wondering how Tezuka knew her name. She took the juice and cautiously sipped it, not sure what to think. Akari also took some juice, but unlike Nagisa, she drained it in one gulp.

Akari threw the bottle an arm's length away, sprinting to the water fountains. 'Bleurgh! Nagisa-chan, that is honestly the worst thing I've ever tasted!'

Nagisa's hand was shaking. 'Um, can I be excused? I'll just run laps instead.'

'Sato,' Tezuka said warningly.

She gritted her teeth. 'Fine. Be that way!' Nagisa soon joined Akari at the water fountains.

'The rest of you, run twenty laps!' Coach Ryuzaki shouted.

The regulars all set off, afraid that Inui will whip out some more juice for anyone who slackened. Nagisa and Akari eventually joined them, complaining about the horrible taste.

'I wish we still trained by ourselves. Ayame and Rie would never try to kill us like this!' Akari muttered under her breath.

Rie heard her, though. 'Yeah, well, unless you return my grip tape from six months ago, you can't count on that!'

Akari shuddered and decided to keep her mouth shut firmly when running.

Then the shouting almost made her trip over a tiny piece of gravel.

'Go Ryoma-sama!' Tomoka was cheering louder than should be humanly possible.

Airi, meanwhile, was trying to run as far away from Kaede as possible. Kaede straggled behind at the end of the line of people, her platinum blonde hair shielding her face. Airi didn't get it. She was sure she'd felt that spark, that spark of fierceness, untameable determination, blazing potential…now it seemed as though it was gone.

This Kaede certainly didn't seem like a girl who could break her opponent without blinking an eye.

A small, rotten part of Airi felt relieved. She felt relieved that finally, finally Kaede was getting what she deserved. Kaede was finally looking lost, sad, unsure. The feelings that plagued Airi every single day.

Her mother had become happier when Airi announced she'd been selected. But somehow that made the pink haired girl feel worse, because now she had pressure again. She had pressure to climb back on to the top, maybe, maybe get another chance at the US Open.

**XXXXX**

Fifty swings, one hundred basic drills, thirty punishment laps, two entire jugs of Inui Juice and sixteen death glares from Tezuka certainly made time pass quick.

Before anybody knew it, Coach Ryuzaki was announcing that it was time for some practice matches. After assigning opponents for the boys, she'd moved on to the girls, most of whom were glancing at each other furtively.

Airi and Kaede in particular looked fidgety. Coach Ryuzaki set her mouth into a thin line. She knew what had happened between the girls. She also knew there would be a time when they'd have to face each other.

_But not now. This newly formed team needs time. They can__'__t be wrecked apart before they__'__ve even begun._

'So, these are the arrangements I have made, based on the data Inui collected from watching your ranking matches. Ayame and Akie, Court A. Rie and Airi, Court B. Kaede and Akari, Court C. Chiyo and Nagisa, Court D.'

Ayame set her honey eyes firmly on Akie's wavering almond shaped brown ones. Akie quavered under the captain's shockingly intense gaze, walking to the designated court with her wavy hair falling and casting shadows over her face. Ayame noted this with interest.

'One set match, Shiori to serve!' The referee called out.

From the other side of the court, Akie raised her racquet with trembling hands. Ayame's curls blew up behind her in the wind, her gaze stony, making her seem older than she actually was.

Akie threw the ball up high into the sky, squinting her eyes as the sun momentarily blinded her. She swung her racquet, remembering the old feeling coming back into her arms. She closed her eyes for a second, not really knowing why.

The ball came into contact with the racquet, but tumbled directly into the net.

'Fault!'

The cinnamon haired girl flushed. Was she making a huge mistake by taking up tennis again? Ayame's composure did not change. Her face was an impassive blank right now. That made Akie nervous more than anything. She wished she had that kind of solidity.

Akie tried again. This time the ball hit the sweet spot on her racquet and it sailed cross court, landing near Ayame, who returned it easily with a beautiful forehand.

Soon, a rally was underway. Ayame seemed perfectly at ease, her face still devoid of emotion. Akie found that she wasn't having any trouble at returning the shots. She seemed almost magnetically drawn to the ball, even though she knew this was ridiculous.

She locked all thoughts and possible explanations out of her head, instead focussing on the game. Something about Ayame's play style…Akie found that it _comforted _her, making her relaxed and able to enjoy the game without any pressure. Something about it didn't quite seem right, but Akie was too wrapped up in the game to know or care.

Ayame ended the long rally with a ball that grazed the edge of the singles court, after flying past Akie's racquet, missing it by a millimetre. _Ayame has fast reflexes__…__faster than mine__…__much faster__…_

'0-15!'

Ayame's eyes finally glinted with something; whether it was mischief or satisfaction, it was impossible to tell. Akie tightened her grip around the racquet. She couldn't make a fool out of herself…but it was almost as if something was lulling her to forget about winning and just absorb herself in the game and focus on having fun…

They had another rally going, but this time Akie won. Ayame's movements were fluid, swift and _beautiful. _She should've gotten that shot. Instead, the captain just stood there amusedly as the ball soared past her. That should have been suspicious to Akie, but she was so _enthralled, _it was just the _game _and _her _and she honestly couldn't think about anything else.

As Akie settled in to the match, she found herself relaxing and winning two games straight.

'Game, Shiori. 2 games to love!'

But at the start of the new game, something in Ayame changed. The short girl's honey eyes narrowed. Shadows fell across her face. Her muscles tensed.

Akie was still in a trance.

_**A/N: **__So, did you guys like this chapter? The pace of the plot will begin slowly, but I think I__'__ll be speeding it up after I__'__ve written all the practice matches. They will actually reveal a lot about the girls. Please review! I know that there have been a good number of views, but only a few reviews._

_**Next chapter: **__More about Ayame__'__s tennis style will be revealed, as well as the impact of the match on Akie. Rie and Airi__'__s match will also begin, and an unexpected spectator arrives. _

_**Character Profiles:**_

_**Aoki Kaede, 3rd year**_

_Appearance: tall, chin length platinum blonde hair, pale porcelain doll skin, dull green eyes_

_Know her as: the former pro who quit after a year for mysterious reasons, seemingly little motivation for victory left in her, the girl who ruined Airi__'__s professional debut_

_**Ishii Chiyo, 3rd year**_

_Appearance: graceful, slender, shiny light brown hair, pale green eyes_

_Know her as: the girl who left Seigaku to go to a ballet school, the girl who is shrouded in mystery, having changed from her old self_

_**Shiori Akie, 3rd year**_

_Appearance: plain looking, average height, straggly waist length cinnamon coloured hair, almond shaped brown eyes_

_Know her as: the girl with average popularity, not particularly close with anyone, always changing personality, confused about herself_

_**Random facts about**__**…**__**Sato Nagisa, the first girl we met!**_

_Her birthday is on the 29th of October._

_Her mother is a workaholic and the CEO of a large company._

_Her favourite food is salmon and avocado sushi._

_Her preferred type of boy is someone who can match her fire._

_Her dream profession is to be an actress._

_Her favourite colour is neon green._

_Her best subject is English._

_Her worst subject is Music._

_Her next best sport is baseball._


	4. Riding High On Things We Haven't Found

_**A/N: **__Hey guys. The new chapter is here! Sorry I took so long. But before you go ahead to read it, I would like to say some stuff about reviews. I need my reviews. Go ahead, criticism is welcome as long as it__'__s constructive. Anything. _

_**This chapter: **__Ayame and Akie face off in a practice match. Part of Ayame__'__s tennis style is revealed. And everyone else__'__s matches, because I decided to condense them into a super long chapter because I felt guilty that I hadn__'__t updated for so long._

_**Meeeeeee: **__Yes my tennis matches are almost all character development and crazy deep ramblings and little action and that__'__s wonderful._

Akie was certain now that something was very, very strange about Ayame's movements. They seemed to be in slow motion. Calm, listless, achingly _boring._ Akie was having no trouble returning the shots, and that confused her more than anything. Shouldn't she be having trouble against the captain? She'd never watched Ayame play, but she was sure that it should be more than _this._

'Game, Shiori! 3 games to love! Change court!'

_What the hell? This is not supposed to be happening!_

Ayame was clearly dragging the game out, enticing Akie into several long rallies, then letting the cinnamon haired girl take the point. _Why is she doing this? Shouldn__'__t she be trying to gain points?_

Akie snuck a glance at the captain. Ayame certainly did not look like someone who was three games behind. Instead, she looked perfectly at ease, in control, sure of herself. Akie felt a chill rush up her spine. _She was toying with me this whole time?_

Of course, that made some sense. Ayame appeared innocent and weak, almost, with her small stature and soft, childish voice. Maybe that was so lethal about her. There was something about her that Akie couldn't quite pinpoint. Sometimes she would get a strange feeling that Ayame's world wasn't all kindness and innocence. The pink haired girl's eyes would occasionally glaze over, looking into the distance at something nobody else could see.

There was a wealth of sadness and seriousness under that sweet mask. Akie realised that maybe it had always been there, even before what had happened right before the Nationals last time.

'Hey! What's the score over there?' Rie called out. She jogged over to the court. She had finished her match with Airi at a score of 6-2.

Ayame ran over to talk to her best friend. 'Shiori-san is leading, 3 games to love.'

Rie raised her eyebrows. 'You might want to step it up a bit now, Ayame.'

Ayame smiled mysteriously. 'We'll see.'

Somehow that comment did not make Akie assured at all.

The next game was Ayame's serve. She raised her racquet in a graceful arch, jumping up to hit the ball and landing lightly, like a cat. The ball skidded by Akie's leg, taking her by shock. _It must be starting__…__but what__'__s __'__it__'__?_

Ayame won the game with service aces.

Inui, who had come over to take data on the captain's match, frowned. 'Honda-san, wasn't Hara-san three games behind?'

Rie's lips lifted up into a smirk. 'What seems mediocre about Ayame's tennis is most often not so.'

'Whatever do you mean?'

'Look,' Rie pointed to Ayame's running silhouette. 'Look at how she plays. She usually hits slow shots with not much power, but precise control. She not only lulls the opponent into thinking they have a lead, making them relax into a trance like state, but she tires them. Ayame doesn't need to use up much power or stamina with the way she plays. She has extraordinary control and can hit the ball wherever she wants. But the opponent is slowly tiring from being able to return her shots, since they have to run around according to Ayame's will. It's almost like she's the puppeteer.'

Inui pulled out a pencil and began scribbling intently into his notebook. 'Indeed, Hara-san is like a puppeteer in the way she's stringing and manipulating Shiori-san…but that's not all there is to her tennis, is it?'

Rie turned to look at Inui with an indiscernable sparkle in her eyes. 'Of course that's not all…Ayame's real tennis…it's _terrifying_.' The way she said it made the lead in Inui's pencil break.

'Have you witnessed it?' Inui asked curiously.

She replied with only a discreet smile and the words, 'No living soulhas witnessed Ayame's tennis. Only I have heard about it.'

Inui's pencil almost snapped in half from the abrupt pressure he put on it.

_What__'__s happening, oh my god, what was that, did she just awaken for one game? _Akie was still in awe at how quickly the last game had ended. _What should I do? I don__'__t have any special moves or anything, I__'__ll make a fool out of myself now!_

Akie's arm was shaking so much that when she served, the ball hit near the top of the net. The referee was in the middle of declaring a fault, when suddenly the ball somehow moved ever so slightly upwards so that it teetered precariously on the top of the net. It flopped innocently onto the opposite side; Ayame's court.

'15-love!' The referee stammered. _How had she done that?_

Only someone with master precision could pull something like that off. Akie hadn't practiced tennis for quite a while; her skills were very, very rusty.

'What just happened?' Rie asked, for once at a loss for words. She turned towards Inui expectantly.

Inui frowned, obviously seeing numbers flashing in his head. 'Interesting…it seems as though the spin Shiori-san accidentally put on the ball through her overly unsteady arm and awkward form was still at play when the ball hit the net, causing the ball to move up.'

Akie looked at the net. She wasn't a net player. She was more used to playing at the baseline. But her last shot had just proved that miracles do happen and maybe experimenting would pay off.

Akie served again, trying to recreate the shot by placing her body in what she estimated was the previous position, but it turned out to be just an ordinary serve. She was undeterred and moved towards the net, nervous, but curious to know what might happen.

Ayame returned the serve easily. _Here it comes, _Akie thought. Akie raised her racquet to her side as she side stepped, anticipating a chance to volley. The ball connected with the centre of her racquet. Akie's return was a straight shot to the right court, somewhere Ayame failed to reach.

'30-love!'

Ayame looked at Akie amusedly. The cinnamon haired girl had a lot of potential. She could be a great net player. It wouldn't hurt to throw away another game to investigate.

She was right. Akie's volleys had power and control. They broke any rallies the two girls had.

'Game, Shiori! 4 games to love!'

_Okay, I__'__d better step it up a little bit. This is a match, after all. _Ayame was determined to keep Akie at the baseline this time. She served powerfully overhand, the ball sailing, whooshing through the air near Akie's head. Akie instinctively ducked.

'15-love!'

The next time Ayame tried the same serve, Akie was ready and side stepped neatly. The return had a high bounce. Ayame jumped up, her hair flying behind her, poised to lob the ball to the baseline.

Akie tried to intercept it at the net, but she wasn't tall enough, nor did she have enough strength in her legs to jump high enough. The ball went over her head and grazed the boundary of the court.

'30-love!'

Soon, the referee was saying, 'Game, Hara! 4 games to 4!'

_Damn, _Akie cursed internally, _she__'__s catching up. Maybe I should just retreat to the baseline._

It was Ayame's serve again. Akie did not try coming up to the net. Instead, she took a wild guess as to where the ball will land and returned it with a one handed backhand.

'She looks as if she's almost magnetically attracted to the ball…' Rie mused, as Akie hit a return ace again, bringing the score to 5-4.

Ayame turned to look at Akie with new admiration in her eyes. 'There's…someone _else _who can do that? It looked like she was just guessing at first…but she really has a good instinct for where I'll hit the ball! That could be useful with her serve and volley style because she'd need to react faster if she wants to hit a volley…'

Akie herself was in shock. 'One more game and I'll win? No way…'

She served, which Ayame returned with ease. The return flew by Akie's racquet, missing it by metres. _Oh__…__it seems as though she__'__s stepping it up a bit__…__the speed of her shots gives me less time to react__…_

The captain took the match at 7 games to 5.

She lingered to talk to Rie. 'So…what do you think of Shiori Akie?' Ayame murmured. Akie lingered around nervously. She could hear them, and although she knew she shouldn't eavesdrop, she was curious to know what exactly they thought.

Rie's reply was so soft that Akie could barely catch it. 'I think she has a talent for tennis she's just unlocked. She's had it all this time…you helped her find it.'

_What the hell did that mean?_

**XXXXX**

_Flashback to Rie and Airi__'__s match_

Airi's pale pink hair stuck to her neck. A few stray strands fluttered in the wind. She was panting hard. Rie was good, she knew that all too well. She would need to play harder to beat her. But did she want to play harder?

She wanted her mother's praise, yes, but she didn't want the pressure that came with it. _'__You can do better, though, Airi. Do better. Do better.__'_

Airi was scared. She didn't want her mother to expect too much, because once she did, Airi would be forced into competitions again and she'd just collapse from the pressure placed on her fragile shoulders.

'Game, Honda! 1 game to love!'

Rie tossed her racquet about, flipping her hair carelessly. _She__'__s so confident__…__points__…__games__…__matches__…__they mean little to her, don__'__t they? They__'__re just a way of passing the time__…_Airi thought. It wasn't that she didn't like Rie. She simply yearned for that careless attitude to everything. It would make life easier if she could just throw away the pressure and disregard her mother's words.

But she was Fukui Airi, the sweet, gentle, polite little girl who never ever rebelled.

Airi raised her racquet to serve. The ball fell just over the net and Rie easily caught it as she sprinted forward. She put heavy underspin on the ball and it whizzed by Airi's feet.

This was what happened when her head was plagued with thoughts. She couldn't close her heart like Ishida Akari. She couldn't focus solely on the game like Sato Nagisa. It was just her drowning in thoughts, thoughts, thoughts…collapsing under a heavy blanket, choking, suffocating, unable to reach sunlight…

Airi managed to keep up a rally with Rie the next time, but it was clear her heart wasn't in it. Her legs felt like lead; too heavy, and she couldn't be bothered to move them either. She moved sluggishly and listlessly, as if she were heavily burdened. Which she was, in a way.

It took every ounce of energy to swing her racquet. Sweat poured down her skinny arms. Suddenly the setting sun's light seemed too bright, too artificial…

Voices battled relentlessly in Airi's head.

_No no no no no what is this what__'__s happening it__'__s starting again goddamnit this is just like that US Open match against Kaede__—_

'Fukui-san! Are you all right?' Rie sprinted over, her voice sounding too chirpy, too mechanical, too far away.

Airi realised she was crouching down on her knees with her hands clasped firmly over her ears.

Rie signalled for time out. 'Fukui-san, what's happening?' She had managed to steady her voice down to a neutral tone.

Airi looked up. 'I'm sorry, but I don't think—'

'Airi! What are you doing on the ground like that? Get up! Get up!' A familiar voice screeched.

Rie stood up. 'Ma'am—' she began, before Airi cut her off with a terrified squeak.

'Kaa-san? What are you doing here?' No no no she was going to really get it tonight gods her mother would never let her live—

Airi's mother was tall and beautiful, in that cold way that froze you off. She wasn't charmingly pretty like Nagisa, or supermodel glamorous like Rie. She was a statue carved from cool, hard marble. She did not radiate the warmth that Rie had when she smiled.

In fact, Fukui Kana never ever smiled.

'Airi!' She hissed. 'I came here to see how you were doing, and what a disgrace you are! You are much better than that, you know that!'

Airi's eyes widened and filled with tears. 'Kaa-san, can we please discuss this at home?' She stood up shakily and begged with all her heart. She was not about to let Rie or the referee or any of her new teammates find out about her family situation.

Rie stood by Airi's side. 'Ma'am,' she began with a dazzling smile and the tone that adults loved, 'We are currently in the middle of a match. Please do not interfere as it is against club rules. If you have any problems, do remain behind after training has ended and request to speak to the coach privately.'

Airi was almost sure that it would work. Almost. But her mother could even out-argue Rie.

'Excuse me, but this is a family matter and I would not like any outsiders to intrude upon our privacy.' Each word was clipped and dipped with molten steel that quickly hardened after coming into contact with Fukui Kana's icy aura.

Rie's mouth dropped open in shock. Airi's mother spoke with a forced politeness, but it had that edge to it. It had an edge of ruthlessness, menace and disdain.

'I'm sorry, but I am the vice captain of this team and I refuse to let my teammates be spoken to inappropriately, family matter or not,' Rie said when she'd recovered.

'Fukubuchou, really, it's okay—' Airi murmured. She did not want anyone to find out or suffer on her behalf. Her mother coud literally ruin Rie's life.

'Who do you think you are?' Airi's mother cut in, her eyes glittering with venom as she stared Rie down. 'If you would like to know, I fund 45% of this private school's activities. I can expel you for speaking to me in a way little girls like you shouldn't.'

'Kaa-san!'

This was really going too far. Airi always knew her mother was fierce and stern and always got her way, but surely she wouldn't go so far as to expel Rie? Airi silently pleaded for Coach Ryuzaki to notice the commotion, or for someone looking on to intervene.

But they were all frozen in fear, even the referee.

Rie smiled sickeningly sweetly. 'Do you know who funds the other 55%? _Me. _But, then again, I'm only just a little girl. It doesn't matter at all that I'm the heiress to the largest fortune in Japan. Hmm?' She shrugged her shoulders elegantly. 'I'm destined to inherit one of the nation's most successful software corporations when I turn of age, which is in fact very soon.'

If the crowd was shocked before, it was nothing on how they were feeling now. Airi felt grateful to Rie, she really did, because her mother soon stalked off, her face chalk white, muttering about how she would deal with Airi when she got home.

But it made Airi uncomfortable. The way Rie flaunted her wealth like Fukui Kana did…that was just sinking to the same level as the enemy, right?

'Um, the match will continue now!' The referee stammered.

Rie and Airi both returned to their positions. But the damage had already been done. While Rie played unfazed, Airi felt like a part of her had just been ripped away.

'Game, Honda! 5 games to love!'

It was Airi's service game this time. She was already in major trouble, she knew, but she couldn't lose six games to love. What if she actually got kicked out of the regulars or something? There had to be lots of girls who played better than how she was doing. It was time to unveil a little bit of her true potential.

Airi brought her right arm arching over her back in a graceful motion. She jumped up to smash the ball hard onto Rie's court. The ball hit Rie's feet, making her stumble back in surprise. _Is this some strange burst of fury?_

'15-love!'

Rie watched carefully as Airi served again. It was still the same serve. Rie, expecting it, stepped aside waiting for the ball. But it didn't land in the same way the last shot did. Instead, this ball curved towards Rie's body, as if Airi had somehow centred a zone around Rie.

Rie was forced to dodge to avoid getting hurt.

'30-love!'

_Why is she attacking me so angrily?_

Rie didn't know that this was in fact years of stress and pressure being released. Airi usually relieved her stress through painting, but it felt so good…it felt so good to feel active again…each smash was a short burst of temper…each lob was a streak of hurt…

Airi went a bit too far when her shot hit Rie flat on the chest.

'I'm so sorry!' Airi gasped, her face turning pale. Rie got up from the ground, winded.

'No, no, that was a good shot, I wasn't paying attention…' Rie brushed it off, but inside, she felt confused. Airi seemed so docile and calm. Why was the pink haired girl being so aggressive to Rie when the latter had just helped her?

Airi decided to safely lock away those negative emotions and just play normally. It made her want to explode. Keeping everything bottled away was too much pressure, but she couldn't risk seriously injuring her opponent.

Soon the referee announced game and match to Honda, 6 games to 2.

'Thank you for a good game…' Rie said uncertainly, putting her hand out. Her eyes wandered to Ayame and Akie's game, which was still going on.

Airi took the handshake halfheartedly, before slinking away.

**XXXXX**

_Court C, Kaede and Akari._

Pale green eyes met calculating black ones. Kaede had never quite played the same way again after she'd quit playing professionally, but she still retained some of her spark. Some of it would come back when she played. She was still good, probably one of the best in the team, second maybe only to the captain in her opinion, but she was far far away from the glory she had once basked in. She knew she probably wouldn't be able to feel that glory again.

Akari, meanwhile, was a good singles player, but she was always more of a doubles player. Attentive, calculating, clever…she was the gamemaker. She told her partner what to do as she analysed their tennis as well as the opponents. In singles, her skill was mostly put to waste as there were less people to analyse. Beneath that calculating mask was an array of good techniques, but against a former pro, Akari knew she would probably lose.

Kaede was born to play tennis. Akari was just the person who moved her along her path like a chess player moving a pawn.

'Ishida to serve!'

The brown haired girl served to Kaede's left, in a smooth straight shot. Kaede sprinted to reach the ball and returned it.

Judging by the angle it left her racquet and the degree of the spin through the air, Akari predicted that it would land about six metres in front of her. Akari, anticipating the shot, rushed forward and hit it.

Once again, she made Kaede run to the furthest side of the court. Kaede still returned the shot and they got a rally going.

Kaede broke it with a drop shot that Akari couldn't reach in time.

'15-love!'

_She__'__s good, _Akari thought. _I can__'__t seem to tire her out at all._

Kaede, through all those years of harsh training, had developed incredible stamina and power. This match would turn into a competition of not necessarily tactics, but power and stamina. Akari was a power player and Kaede felt most at ease when she was sending racquets spinning from people's hands. Inui had arranged this perfectly.

Akari served again, making sure it was full of power and wicked spin. Kaede returned it with a slice and sent the ball spinning right at Akari''s face.

Akari keeled over. 'Ouch!' She could not help but cry out. Was this what Kaede liked to do? Had she won her US Open matches like this?

The referee didn't look sure of what to do.

'I'm fine,' Akari gritted her teeth, forcing herself to get up.

Her opponent didn't show any sign of emotion on her pale, impassive face. Kaede only fingered a strand of hair and looked bored, as if she'd been waiting for Akari to hurry up.

Feeling an indescribable surge of indignation through her body, Akari played on fiercer than before. Sometimes she hit screaming winners. Sometimes her shots went out. For a person who liked order and precision, Akari didn't seem to mind too much.

She just didn't want Kaede to label her as weak. In Akari's opinion, she was weak enough.

She didn't need a snobbish, bored former pro to emphasise the point.

Soon Akari brought the score to 2-0 in her favour. Kaede merely looked down at the ground. There was maybe a flicker of glumness in her eyes, but Akari wasn't sure if that was really there or just a figment of her imagination.

Kaede felt an odd twinge in the pit of her stomach. That awful, choking feeling that came with losing threatened to engulf her, but once again like the helpless girl on the US Open court, she found that she had no energy or motivation to combat it, to throw off the suffocating blanket pressing her down.

_I want to get out, someone help me, I can__'__t move, I can__'__t breathe, I can__'__t I can__'__t I can__'__t__—_

'15-love! The referee called out as a ball flew past Kaede's leg, the air whooshing by her, leaving her feeling chilled.

She stared at the slight dent the ball had made with something almost close to wonder and slight apprehension and—was it doubt? Or fear? Or just confusion?

_No no no goddamnit I__'__m losing I__'__m choking no__—_

'Get yourself together!' Akari called. She wasn't even sure why she did it. She was pretty sure she didn't like Kaede. But seeing the broken shell of a girl standing opposite her, separated by a net that felt like the border between two warring countries…Akari was reminded of another girl.

Shorter, skinnier, chocolate brown hair, wide onyx eyes, so so _alone, _crying on a platform in a train station, a crumpled piece of paper at her feet.

Akari didn't want anyone, not even someone she disliked, to be like that girl. She had to stop Kaede from turning into the girl who was so broken and irreparable, helpless, lost, from a time long gone.

Kaede's eyes widened ever so slightly when Akari called. She felt confusion was over her; why was Akari trying to encourage her? It was with a brusque tone that the second year said it, but she said it nonetheless.

_Does she look down at me? No I can__'__t let that happen. I__'__m so much stronger than that!_

Her eyes hardened. It was like the girl from the past had been brought back. She knew she couldn't stay, but she had to try to hold on, otherwise she would be truly weak.

Kaede hit the ball that came next with so much power that it landed and spun and spun without bouncing again for a long, long time. Finally when it did land again, Akari miscalculated severely and the ball went sailing into the net after a strange awkward forehand she attempted to do.

'15-all!'

With her desire to be respected and not looked down on and pitied _(don__'__t I have to go through that enough already?) _Kaede managed to win the next four games, turning the tides.

_30-15 I can__'__t be weak_

_40-15 I must not give up, come on come on I must put all my energy into this__—_

_3 games to 1 Okay finally it__'__s starting no I can__'__t choke again__—_

_0-15 No no no it__'__s happening goddamnit somebody__—_

_15-15 I can__'__t let her win_

_30-15 I can__'__t let her win_

_40-15, 3-2, 3-3, 3-4_

'What's _going on_?' Akari muttered, looking down at her racquet, feeling as if she could count every square, yes, it was that important. All she'd done was to yell at her opponent, and now Kaede had gotten this fired up.

Akari, who was good at reading people, much better than she let on, knew there had to be a reason. Kaede obviously hated pity. She rejected it and spurned it.

_Only someone who__'__d grown up always on the receiving end would feel like that._

To be completely honest, Akari felt rather guilty and sorry for Kaede and wanted to just throw this match; although she appeared frigid and calculating, she did care. Maybe she even cared too much.

But she also knew that would make matters worse for Kaede. Kaede desperately wanted to prove herself to others, to prove that no, she wasn't weak. If Akari gave her all she had and really respected Kaede as an opponent, then that would help Kaede grow, because then she'd know that people didn't look down on her.

If Kaede won, then even better. She'd realise that she was never weak.

_Why would she think like that anyway? Wasn__'__t she a former pro? Does this__—__oh god, does this have something to do with her sister?_

Akari served, making sure the serve was wickedly, impossibly angled. Kaede danced, her feet blades cutting the court, her arm swinging, her eyes glinting. They fought, because on the tennis court, emotions shouldn't matter.

They forgot about all their worries and insecurities and just played.

(Maybe, maybe this was what it meant to be Nagisa?)

4-4. Akari would definitely win. She was solid.

5-4. Kaede had resolve, rock hard resolve. Every ball she sent spinning at Akari was a weapon.

5-5. Akari was unbreakable. She would always climb back up.

6-5. It was obvious Kaede was the strong one.

6-6. Akari screamed with pure passion as she hit a backhanded winner.

It went into a tiebreak.

After what seemed like eternity and sunlight and stardust and everywhere in between, the referee announced,

'129-127! Aoki wins, 7 games to 6!'

Kaede walked up to the net, suddenly looking exhausted and so very very small. 'Thank you,' she murmured.

She wasn't thanking Akari for a good game.

She was thanking Akari for giving her that chance.

Akari gripped Kaede's pale hand. 'Yeah, you're welcome.'

**XXXXX**

'Hey, you're Ishii Chiyo-senpai, right? I'm Sato Nagisa and it looks like we'll be playing each other! Let's have a good game.' Tennis always brought out the best in Nagisa. (And very, very rarely, the worst too.)

Chiyo looked taken aback at her kouhai's friendliness. _Since when did Seigaku people get so nice? Especially pre-match? _'Uh, hi..it's nice to meet you, Sato-chan.'

They took their places on opposite sides of the court, Chiyo staring at Nagisa warily and Nagisa fully aware, but emotionless, for she had already gone into that pre-match state where she was above feeling barely anything at all. She could only feel the burn, the thrill, the passion. _Finally, I__'__m free. Free, and above petty human emotions._

Chiyo had the first serve. She briefly wondered what Nagisa was like, but she once again struggled as she tried so hard to feel _something, anything _that related to someone other than herself.

It wasn't that Chiyo was self-absorbed. Not really. But ever since what had happened to her, ever since the injury that prevented her from dancing en pointe ever again, she realised that maybe it was best to just not _care _about anything _at all_ but that had completely backfired.

She began to care nothing about others, because what was the point? Instead, she became wrapped up in her own things and sinking in a sea of self pity, and this went on for—weeks? Months?

And then Chiyo had resolved to move on, because goddamnit she had to start something new, she was only seventeen. So she'd taken up tennis again, and then the self pity had gone.

Only to be replaced by _that feeling, that feeling when you sort of felt a dull ache but when you tried to take it away, you couldn__'__t reach it and it hurt, it hurt so much. _And the ache gnaws at you and consumes you, until it's all you can think about. _What am I trying to feel? But no, I need to feel something other than this desperation and confusion!_

Some would have thought that Chiyo was overreacting a little bit. Okay, so she couldn't pursue her dream career now. So what? At least she had food, water and shelter. At least she was living in a developed country and had the luxuries of life, while around the world people starved.

But those people didn't know why Chiyo had started ballet in the first place.

She wanted to probe these turbulent thoughts further and further, but the fast return ace that whipped by her leg startled her.

'15-love!'

Nagisa was good. She was good. Chiyo felt, with a twinge of dull, aching _untouchable uncurable _bitterness, that had it been Nagisa, she would've certainly bounced back with the force of an angry piranha on steroids, and come back smiling.

(She didn't know how wrong she was and she probably wouldn't for a long, long time.)

But all in all, what a girl like Chiyo knew and didn't know had little impact.

Nagisa was simply better, having taken the game with Chiyo gaining only one point. Chiyo had only recently taken up tennis again, whereas Nagisa had been training and training for years. _But was that all?_

It didn't matter, Chiyo decided. She was losing, and she felt that she should care, but she realized, with that familiar ache in her heart and body and soul, that she couldn't, she couldn't, because caring would just make her weaker.

'What's wrong with her?' Nagisa muttered under her breath as Chiyo failed to return a perfectly ordinary serve.

For a girl who lived and breathed for tennis, she couldn't help but feel slightly offended that her opponent did not seem to be taking it seriously at all.

Maybe if Nagisa hadn't been playing, she would've been able to guess why Chiyo didn't seem to try. But she was on the court, and she was wrapped up in the game.

That was one of the major weaknesses in Nagisa's play style. She concentrated too hard on the actual tennis and forgot to utilize the extraordinary analytical skills she was blessed with. Maybe if she played more like Akari, she would be even stronger.

She had the ability to read people with startling accuracy; why not use it in tennis to gauge what her opponent would do next? Or play on their mental state and provoke them? After all, although most people denied it, sportspeople would often use psychological attacks.

(But didn't Nagisa come here to change, not worsen?)

Nagisa was the opposite of Chiyo at first glance. She was passionate about tennis and

held a fierce determination and resolve for everything she tried, be it trying to change her manipulative streak, or practicing.

Chiyo, meanwhile, tried her hardest not to be passionate, not to care. But she tried, she knew how to try, because she was trying her hardest not to try. It didn't exactly work out, didn't it? How could two people be so glaringly opposite yet so blazingly similar?

(Like two fires, two twin suns, raging and burning and threatening to consume each other, to smother each other, to put each other down)

But what suns didn't and probably never would know that somewhere out there in the distant reaches of the infinitely expanding universe, there would obviously be another, even stronger sun.

Wasn't it like that with life too? When you thought you were hella good at something, best in your year maybe, and then comes along someone else who reveals their hidden talent and they're so much better than you and goddamnit it hurts to know but you know you should've known and you should just let it _go_—

—and your head hurts thinking about all of this deep shit and you decided to grab a packet of chips and open your laptop because you're just a teenager and you're supposed to be carefree, lazy and stupid, as society often claims—

Ishii Chiyo was never really good at letting things go.

No, she'd let them slowly build up at the back of her mind.

She supposedly got over things by locking the negative thoughts out of what she was thinking primarily at the moment, locking them and storing them into the deep dark crevices of her mind, but oh they weren't gone, were they, they were—

—still there.

Nagisa, well, Nagisa moved past things. She trampled clumsily, blindly forth, relying on her instincts, never stopping, knocking down those in her path, like a bulldozer.

_3-0. Nagisa kept on steadily blazing on, like a bushfire storming the forest ground._

_15-0. Nagisa__'__s every shot was like a little comet, trailing fire and sparks and promise._

_30-0. Chiyo couldn__'__t move, she couldn__'__t, she was paralyzed and blinded and stunned._

_40-0. She could only watch on helplessly as she let herself burn as if she__'__d never burned before, but oh she had, she had she had she had, like a primitive caveman__'__s blaze, dull from a time long gone._

_4-0. _

_5-0._

'What am I doing?'

Chiyo dropped her racquet. She suddenly remembered that she was in a game, not a trance, she had to move.

She had to.

There were so many times where she'd thought she couldn't.

Like when her feet were bruised from many hours of dance practice late into the night, yet she'd pulled on her pointe shoes for another six hours, despite the pain, the dull pain that she could never quite reach, never quite let heal.

She couldn't lose in a love game. What if she got kicked out of the regulars?

She had to play.

She had to keep dancing.

(But she couldn't keep dancing on forever, could she?)

Chiyo thought back to her ballet background. She thought back to her sensei's rich, foreign accent and lilting, yet calm manner and practical, wiry arms.

She thought back to newspaper headlines, raging applause, blinding camera flashes, stranger's awed smiles, a world of promise and possibility, a future of fame.

_I have to go back, try to go back, if not for a little while. I have to become her, the past me, the girl who could do anything. _

When Chiyo brought the score to 5-all and it seemed like the game would be forced into a tiebreak, her determination crumbled and Nagisa pulled through once more.

Nagisa looked at her senpai with those amber eyes.

Those eyes which were wide and a little bit fearful.

_There is definitely something wrong with Ishii Chiyo-senpai._

**XXXXX**

Practice had ended. The regulars had one by one drifted home. Only three people remained, their silhouettes lining the brightly fading colours of the sunset.

Coach Ryuzaki looked at the two girls standing before her. The honey-eyed girl, so young yet so old, with a burden she shouldn't have had to bear, but the fates decreed thus. The captain who shouldn't have been captain, but oh again _the fates decreed thus._

(Who were the fates anyway? Wasn't the world just people and choices?)

And there was the cerulean eyed one. A true leader, a warrior queen, regal, shining, so so _there. _

Yet Rie knew she wasn't the golden one everyone made her out to be.

There were times when she hated how she had to resort to her charm and wealth to get her way, even when her way meant helping someone else out.

But she couldn't _stop._

She wasn't like that Sato girl, whose determination was blinding and radiating and wild.

Rie was weak, she knew.

She was so weak that she couldn't find the courage to speak out about that Fukui Airi's horrid mother.

So, when Coach Ryuzaki and Ayame left, she was left there standing alone in the fading light with her thoughts.

Those despicable, uncertain thoughts that belonged to a liar and a hypocrite.

_(I__'__m not any better than Fukui Kana, am I? Am I am I am I?)_

**XXXXX**

_Review. Fave. Follow. Love._

_**Random Facts About**__**…**__**Ishida Akari, second year doubles ace**_

_Her birthday is on the 19th of May._

_Her parents are divorced and she has a little brother called Kei._

_Her favourite food is sashimi with wasabi._

_Her preferred type of boy is someone loyal, sweet yet strong._

_Her dream profession is to be a forensics worker._

_Her favourite colour is lavender._

_Her best subject is Maths._

_Her worst subject is Biology._

_Her next best sport is volleyball._


	5. We're All Living Until We Grow Older

_**Mostly slice of life chapter to make up for the tennis overload in the previous one. Also, as I switch scenes, I will alternate between using a character's last name and given name depending on whose POV it is. I'll try to incorporate more canon character POVs too.**_

_**Please review! People who fave/follow the story or me but don't review make me sad.**_

The early dawn light filtered through the lacy white curtains, a ray shining upon the bed where the pink haired girl slept.

Ayame opened her eyes blearily.

That night, she dreamt of dandelions in the wind and ambulance sirens and crying and reaching and trying. It was the same old nightmare. Sometimes she saw a pink haired, honey eyed girl and she wouldn't really be sure if that was her or her sister Yuki.

She got out of bed, looking around the room. There were no photographs of Yuki anymore. They got taken down because it was just too depressing.

She glanced at her reflection in the mirror.

A tumble of pink curls. Large honey eyes.

_Who are you who am I?_

She was Ayame, not Yuki and she promised she wouldn't be, not that she ever could, but—

—the girl in the mirror couldn't be too sure.

Ayame tiptoed down the stairs and found her parents already eating breakfast. She murmured a quick greeting and sat down to eat.

They rarely spoke. It was okay.

It felt empty, but gradually that gaping chasm filled up with time.

'Darling, your mid-term results arrived in the mail today,' Ayame's mother finally spoke, breaking the trance of silence.

Her father looked up over the newspaper and added, 'We're very happy with your rank. You made the top thirty, and that's a great achievement. Why didn't you tell us? We're so proud of you.'

He didn't add that when she'd been alive, Yuki had always made the top ten.

But she'd always been just Ayame, the little sister, the girl who could never be expected to reach the astronomical heights Yuki ascended to. Her parents were fine with mediocre from her, pleased with above average.

Ayame didn't say anything. She just tilted her head the right way, the cute way that sent adults gushing at her beautiful sweet face and lush hair, and smiled.

(Keep on smiling, don't you ever stop dear. You're just a pretty face, nothing more)

Her father patted her head in the same patronizing way Yuki had.

Ayame looked down at her miso soup and found that she had little stomach for it.

**~X~**

Airi painted.

There was no one in the art room at school except for her.

She painted. She didn't even know what she was painting anymore. The colors all blended together in a haze, a million shades all entwined and blurred, telling of the space between midnight and the minute after, a year and the next, futures and lost possibilities.

Her mother didn't yell at her after that afternoon.

Instead, her mother simply sat there as rigid as a statue through the weekend, her face impassive, looking right through Airi.

That hurt more than anything.

'Fukui-san, what are you doing here at this time of day?'

She looked up. It was the girl who had helped her yesterday, Honda Rie. Airi was grateful towards Rie, she really was, but a tiny part of her resented the other girl's confidence, and an even tinier portion feared the power Rie had, feared the way she utilized her charm and wealth.

(After all, it would take so little for a girl like Rie to turn to using her power the way Fukui Kana had)

Airi didn't say anything for a while. She wasn't sure if she could trust Rie. She felt as if the other girl knew too much about her already. 'Painting for the art exhibition. I need all the time I can get,' she half-lied.

Rie contemplated this for a while, her mahogany hair shielding half of her face. Finally, she tossed her head back and flashed Airi a truly gorgeous smile. 'You're incredible at art, you know that?'

Then she walked away.

She didn't say anything about practice, which Airi wasn't sure how to feel about.

**~X~**

Nagisa and Akari had a sleepover on Sunday, at Nagisa's house. Her mother was busy with work, and thus treated them with only the customary politeness of a hostess, leaving them to their own devices soon after, for which the two girls were glad.

When Nagisa had asked Akari why they couldn't stay at her house next time, her friend's face closed down completely, making Nagisa halt. There were those times when Akari would just shut down, closing her heart, making Nagisa scared.

She was a girl who displayed her emotions most of the time. She tried not to back in the States, but here, she realized that it was best to be genuine. She had to start afresh, with nothing to hide and nothing to lose.

'My parents are divorced,' she finally said. 'I live with my dad and my little brother. Our home life…it isn't exactly the best.'

'Oh.'

Nagisa suddenly felt very, very small.

'But no matter,' Akari quickly waved her hand. 'Tell me about your match with Ishii Chiyo.'

'I won, 7 games to 5. She was very behind at first, it seemed like she wasn't trying almost, but then she caught up. I managed to clinch the match, but barely. There's definitely something wrong with her,' Nagisa frowned. 'It's like she tries so hard not to care, but then she realizes she has to care, and then she decided that caring takes too much effort, and she slowly winds down again.'

Akari's beady eyes glinted. 'Ah. I did some research and I think I may have found out why.'

Nagisa looked up curiously. 'What?'

'Ishii Chiyo got accepted into a prestigious ballet school. She was sixteen then and facing an opened door to a bright career. She had lots of talent. Everyone admired her so.'

'Then, she choked, right?' Nagisa took a wild guess. It seemed like it.

She was surprised when Akari said no.

'She was involved in an accident that left her ankle broken in such a way that she could not dance en pointe again for fear of making the injury resurface. So she left the ballet school and came back to Seigaku. But it's not just her ankle that broke. Her mentality broke. She's like a whole different person. Now, I think she's trying so hard not to care about anything so that she wouldn't break again.'

'Should we tell the team?' Nagisa gasped. 'This could really affect her tennis!'

Akari shook her head. 'No. I think Ryuzaki-sensei knows, and so does Ayame-buchou. Rie-fukubuchou probably doesn't and the rest of the team definitely don't. I think it's up to Ishii-senpai to tell them.'

The next day, they went to school, a strange silence hanging above them.

**~X~**

This was quickly changed when they saw a sea of students crowding around a noticeboard. It wasn't just any noticeboard. This noticeboard displayed the mid-term rankings of the second years.

Akari quickly found her name at ninth place. She smiled, satisfied.

'Oh my god, I'm third! How is that possible?' Nagisa beamed. Finally she'd have really positive news to bring home to her parents. She'd always been pretty damn smart, but she'd never really bothered with studies and often was just above average. Her parents had grown accustomed to her apparent mediocrity.

Nagisa wanted to show them that she wasn't like that. The thing she feared most in the world was being mediocre, having people think she was just normal, forgettable.

Maybe that was why she tried so hard in tennis. Maybe that was why she wanted to try so hard in everything now.

It probably wasn't because she wanted to become a better person. And that thought scared her.

**~X~**

'You know, I've been noticing you a lot lately,' The boy said, running a hand through his hair in that practiced-fake-careless way.

Akie blinked, long lashes brushing her cheeks and making her wrinkle up her nose. 'Uh, say _what?' _was her very eloquent reply. She'd always thought of herself as plain and unremarkable, just a shadow drifting around. She'd always thought that she'd be one of those girls who wouldn't get their first confession or first kiss until she was in her late twenties.

To have one of the most popular boys in the school start off a conversation with something like this jolted her. It didn't feel…_nice_…but it felt _new. _It felt like anxiously waiting for the new song you've been waiting for ages to come out to load, because goddamnit it's finally just come out, and you want to listen to it so bad, but what if it's crappy?

'So, I was saying…do you wanna go out with me?'

He was pretty cute, she had to admit. There had been a time when she'd considered him that way, but she felt like she didn't know him well enough, and besides _who would ever want to date her? _

But now he was _asking her out _and if she were fully honest with herself, she'd have to admit that she still liked him, a bit, just a bit.

'O-okay!'

The boy waited for a few seconds, considering her response, making Akie apprehensive. _Why is he looking at me like that?_

'So…wait a sec, you actually do like me?' He had that strange expression on his face, the one you got when your teacher handed you back your test, and you thought you did pretty well, but you actually failed it.

'Well, yeah…?'

'Oh…well, _crap!_ YouseethiswasactuallyadaresoIdontreallylikeyousorry!'

Akie didn't know how to react.

This was actually a _dare? _What kind of people dared each other to fake confessions to girls?

She turned on her heel and sprinted out of the room, but not before crashing into a door.

She heard the class laughing behind her.

_Who the hell invented dares? And doors? _

**~X~**

Kaede didn't have friends and nor did she want any. She ate her lunch alone at school. That was perfectly fine with her. That second year girl, Ishida, was pretty nice to her after their match, but Kaede wasn't feeling particularly appreciative of this sentiment.

_She…that girl…I really don't know what to make of her. She could destroy me…but she didn't. Still, it's best to stay away, right?_

She was enjoying her lunch in peace until a cinnamon haired girl came running towards her, her arm flung across her face, sobbing about doors and dares to herself.

Kaede recognised the girl as a fellow regular, that Shiori Akie.

'Um, are you okay…?' she asked cautiously. She knew it wasn't her business, but it was like a reflex to ask someone that when they were sad, which was pretty stupid, because obviously Shiori wasn't okay.

Shiori skidded to a halt, removing her arm from her face. 'Um…what?' she stammered. Did she just intrude upon someone's lunch space? _Oh God, how embarrassing. At least there are no doors…_

'Oh, it's you Aoki-san…I'm so sorry for barging in, I wasn't really looking where I was going you see, and I'll just leave now…'

She looked so sad that Kaede felt sorry for her. (It had been a long, long time since she'd felt emotion for someone else, as self absorbed as she was)

'Nah, it's okay. You can sit with me, if you want,' Kaede offered. 'And don't call me by my last name,' she added.

'Um, why not?' Shiori had finally stopped sniffling.

Kaede sighed. 'I don't want to say.' Her response must have been a bit too curt, or Shiori must have been a bit too sensitive, for her large almond shaped eyes welled up with tears again.

'Look, it's not you, okay?' Kaede tried to explain. Then: 'Wait, so you don't know? You don't know why I quit? I thought _everyone _knew…'

'I don't know…I don't really keep up with professional tennis, you know?' _What? Why did she quit? What's she hiding?_

'Never mind then,' Kaede responded bitterly, waving an arm at an attempt at nonchalance. 'You'll find out anyways, I bet. That Ishida girl knows.' _But would she tell?_ Kaede had mixed feelings about Ishida Akari.

She was self absorbed, she would admit. She rarely bothered to look at other people. Ishida…that girl was dangerous, Kaede knew, though. Ishida, as the data collector of the girls team, clearly knew about Kaede's past.

But…would she tell? During their match, Ishida had respected Kaede as a player. She'd played all out and Kaede felt…not exactly honoured, but gratified that finally someone who knew about her past did not treat her with pity.

Shiori looked pretty confused, but hey, she was used to being a shadow and not sticking her nose into other people's business. _The view's not really good from the outside looking in, but it's okay. Everything's hazy through my tears anyway._

'Well…it's your business to tell, okay? I won't take anything personally…actually, I'd rather not tell you why I was crying either,' she settled for. She was being kind of blunt, she knew, but that was a good change from the layers of deception she'd built up around her. Kaede…Kaede's razor sharp tone seemed to have shattered those layers, even momentarily.

Kaede's earnest green eyes flickered towards Shiori. The other girl seemed sort of raw and vulnerable.

'Right,' Kaede murmured, moving aside so that Shiori could sit.

**~X~**

Somehow, the two girls became friends. Not those close friends who shared everything, but friends nonetheless.

Akie stopped drifting from friendship group to friendship group, always on the edge. Kaede now had someone to sit with. They sat quietly and sometimes murmured small talk.

Kaede had a habit of unconsciously stripping down Akie's protective barriers with her coldness, but that was okay.

By letting Kaede do that to her, a bond of trust was formed. Akie allowed Kaede to put her in a position where Kaede could hurt her, and she trusted Kaede not to.

In doing that, Kaede found herself unable to hurt Akie.

It wasn't perfect as far as friendship went, but it was something.

**~X~**

_a few weeks later_

Ryuzaki Sumire looked at her team training, feeling proud and content.

The male and female regulars seemed to be getting closer as a team, and their skills were developing too. Soon they'll be ready for the district preliminaries.

Aoki Kaede, whom she'd initially worried about, seemed to be doing fine. She was nowhere near as strong as she had been, but Sumire knew that as long as she was okay emotionally, then she would continue developing well.

She had to credit that soft spoken Shiori Akie. Akie had a neutralizing and calming effect on Kaede. The two girls had somehow become friends and honestly Sumire had no idea how that had happened, but it worked.

Kaede's blunt, honest remarks helped Akie grow as a person. She was no longer as emotionally sensitive as she had been, and now only batted away Kaede's criticism with a fond swat and eye roll. And Akie made Kaede smile. She brought back some of the light and motivation in Kaede.

(Akie still needed to work on her net skills—she had talent that shouldn't be wasted—maybe Sumire should ask Kikumaru to help her with that?)

The new transfer student, Nagisa, had enormous potential as a singles player. Tezuka sensed it too.

She was also skilled in doubles, to Sumire's surprise, but the extent of that skill probably only went so far if Ishida Akari was her doubles partner. But then again, Akari could probably play doubles with a piranha and find a way to win.

That arrogant first year, Echizen, wasn't being _too _much of a brat, so that was something. Also, Sumire suspected that her granddaughter had a crush on him, but that wasn't really tennis related, so.

What was most important was that the boys and girls were actually interacting with each other. Not that Sumire had worried about all the fuss with boy germs and girl germs that she'd had to deal with the brief few weeks she'd volunteered to coach at a holiday program for elementary schoolers, but she was kind of worried that the girls would feel detached, as most of the boys had been on the same team for a long time.

But that anxiety wasn't necessary. Akari often enjoyed engaging in long conversations/debates about techniques with Inui that nobody could quite understand. She was also trying to convince him that putting chocolate in Inui Juice would be far better than putting insects, but Sumire didn't think she'd quite succeed in that endeavour.

(Oh, being young is really great—wait. Why was she sounding suspiciously like Momoshiro?)

**~X~**

After practice had ended, the team as well as the freshman trio and Sakuno and Tomoka decided to head to Kawamura Sushi. They sometimes went there to eat after practices, as suggested by Oishi, who thought that team bonding was important.

(To be honest, Ayame thought that was pretty cheesy, but she got to eat food, so it was all good)

But, she'd never really liked loud places. That was more Rie. Rie was used to glamorous dinner parties and loud music and flashing lights and faking smiles.

Ayame just tended to fade into the background, letting the girls who were like Rie—or Yuki, for that matter—take over.

Ayame knew her problem had been that she'd idealized her sister. She'd let go of that, because Yuki was dead, come on it was time to find _herself _how could you look up to somebody who wasn't here anymore?

And Yuki had wanted her to be strong.

Sometimes, Ayame had felt pretty bitter about this seeing as Yuki had treated her patronizingly, but Yuki had _loved _her and everyone had flaws.

It was stupid trying to fix them because flaws couldn't be taken away, nobody was perfect.

Ayame's flaw of idealizing people had never quite been taken away. The only thing that had was Yuki.

So? So, she'd found someone else to idealize. And…she didn't even _notice._

**~X~**

Nobody knew that Ayame felt insecure. If they did, they all immediately thought that it was because she'd lost her sister. Otherwise, it just wouldn't make sense.

Why would such a pretty, pretty sweet little girl who was practically spoilt by her parents feel insecure?

_(Oh Ayame honey, leave the sports to Yuki! You're our pretty little girl, we can't risk letting you play tennis, what if you get hurt?)_

_(Oh Ayame, you're just so pretty, aren't you? You'll look so darling in this dress!)_

'Ano…what sushi would you like, Hara-chan…?' Kawamura asked awkwardly for the tenth time. Ayame was spacing out.

Rie nudged her friend. 'Hello, Earth to Hara Ayame?' she whisper-shouted.

'Oh…I'm sorry…I was spacing out again. I'm so sorry! Um, I'll have the…' Ayame mumbled, feeling suddenly very very small.

**~X~**

Akari swore she was going to get white hairs after this. And she actually would care if she did. She knew people thought of her as brisk and no-nonsense, but Akari really cared about her hair. She loved her silky brown ponytail.

She did not want it ruined by stress caused by _loud _people.

Seeing as Kikumaru, Fuji, Nagisa, the coach's granddaughter Sakuno and her best friend Tomoka were at Akari's table, she was currently under a lot of stress indeed.

Okay, that wasn't exactly fair. Fuji and Nagisa were making _civilized _albeit nonsensical conversation, so they weren't being that loud. Sakuno wasn't really talking, just turning to glance at that Echizen kid every 6.1 seconds.

But _Kikumaru _and _Tomoka._

Akari sighed and moved over to where Inui was sitting alone.

**~X~**

'And so _that_ is where wasabi came from,' Nagisa declared triumphantly, waving her chopsticks haphazardly.

Kikumaru was startled out of his mad attempts to get Oishi's attention from where he was sitting with Tezuka, Ryuzaki-sensei, Ayame and Rie, and turned to look at Nagisa in confusion.

Before he could figure out what she was on about, Fuji said something along the lines of, 'Are you sure about the part involving chimpanzee-piranha mutations? I suspect Inui Juice had more to do with it…'

_Why am I friends with such weird people, nya? _

Oh, wait. Because Kikumaru himself was one of the weird people.

**~X~**

As Rie, Oishi, Tezuka and Ryuzaki-sensei discussed training methods and captain-y-stuff, Ayame found that her heart really wasn't in it. She supposed that it was unfair to leave everything to Rie, after all it was _Ayame _who had _asked _to be captain.

But now she wondered if that was really the right choice. Yuki had told her to win. Yuki had told her to make _Seigaku _win. But Yuki had also told Ayame to do it her own way.

Was that by leading?

Ayame wasn't a good leader—at all. She was timid, organized maybe, but always kind of afraid to speak up, because she was just Ayame wasn't she, what was the point of speaking up, _come on Aya just let your sister do the talking okay? _

Meanwhile, Rie…

Ayame had to admit that she was jealous of her charismatic best friend. Rie was everything Ayame wasn't and should've been. Rie was charming, outgoing, kind and just the type of person who you were _sure _would go on to succeed in life.

(Even without a large inheritance)

Who was Ayame, really?

_Captain, but that's only by name. I'm not actually doing anything for the team. Best player…or am I? I was always second best, second to Yuki, eternally second. I might be the best now that Yuki's gone…but am I really? Aoki Kaede could beat me…besides, what does best player even matter to me now? When I leave school…I'm good, really good, but not enough so as to pursue tennis professionally…who am I?_

_Who am I who am I who am I who am I—_

Just a shadow from a time long gone.

A slip of a girl, always tugging onto her sister's hand. Except there was no sister to hold on to.

**~X~**

Nagisa liked her new teammates, she really did. Or most of them, anyway. That Aoki girl made her a bit on edge, but she never talked to Nagisa, so it was okay. Aoki's only friend, Shiori Akie, was pretty nice, if not a bit plain…and boring.

She felt sorry for Ishii Chiyo, the senpai she'd played. But Ishii-senpai also made her very curious. _How could someone be so nonchalant yet so passionate at the same time, isn't that just choking and painful?_

(Nagisa hated pain. She always preferred the easy way—tennis could be seen as an exception—but really, although she loved tennis, always gave it her best when she _did_ play—she'd never practiced too much)

Hara Ayame…she hid a lot of shocking insecurity, Nagisa could tell. But beyond that…what was the reason in probing, in shattering the walls? She'd only find hurt.

She found her other teammates, both male and female, a little boring. Readable. Predictable. Caricatures, almost.

_Who are you who am I who are you show me there's got to be more to us._

They all loved tennis and despite their different personalities, they all seemed the same underneath.

Fuji Syusuke was an obvious exception.

He'd bantered with her, smiling faintly, never wavering from his default expression when Nagisa smiled or laughed.

He'd shown the same attitude, the same _mask_ (because who could really be that composed, nonchalant?) when playing, she realized. Although Akari had mentioned something about him being a genius, he certainly didn't play like one.

(Weren't geniuses supposed to be—crazy—or electric with that wild, dancing manic light and—)

Nagisa wasn't sure what to make of people like that.

Fuji _scared _her, a little bit, but she found him _interesting. _Not in the romantic way, but—

_If I broke you, what would you be like? Who are you, really? What would happen if I shattered that 'don't mind me' mask?_

(The voice in Nagisa's head—the one that sounded suspiciously like Akari—warned her that she was treading down a dark, dark path—she'd come here to change not worsen—turn back now while you still could, little girl, this is _dangerous_—)

'Oh, what the hell,' Nagisa thought. '_Bring it. _I'm a dangerous girl.'

(Sato Nagisa did not like to burn alone. No, she usually liked to drag people with her.)

**~X~**

That night, Nagisa dreamed of demons and dancing infernos and whispering voices and a dark, haunted forest path and blue eyes, blue like sapphires, blue like legends, blue like possibility, blue like danger.

**~X~**

It was an early Sunday's morning when Aoki Kaede and Fukui Airi found themselves meeting coincidentally at the strangest of all places—an art supplies store.

Of course, this was not at all strange for Airi, but _Aoki Kaede? Paint?_

Airi saw Kaede first and did her best to duck behind a shelf in an attempt at hiding. It didn't work. Her clumsiness resulted in her knocking over the shelf, packets of paintbrushes crashing down.

Kaede was startled from her self-absorbed reverie and her eyes met Airi's.

Kaede turned on her heel and left, leaving Airi there until a store worker found her and muttered profanities under his breath, most likely directed at her.

**~X~**

_a few days later_

'Now, we'll do doubles practice instead of singles matches,' Ryuzaki-sensei proclaimed as she gestured towards the courts. The regulars had practice again, and lately their practices had become harder (and stranger, courtesy of Inui) as the district preliminaries were drawing closer. Nobody had any doubt that Seigaku wouldn't breeze through, but it was still important to not let skills get rusty.

Kikumaru enthusiastically high-fived Oishi, but Nagisa pulled a face. Although she did well in doubles the first time she'd tried it, the second (and last) time she'd nearly gotten a concussion (she was paired with _Ryoma _and it was no wonder they both collided into each other as they ran for the ball)

Nagisa's actions weren't unseen by the coach. She frowned slightly, although her eyes held laughter. 'The tournaments are drawing closer. We must focus more on doubles. So far, we have only practiced doubles twice. Yes, even the singles players have to participate!'

'Well, I am not pairing up with Echizen again!' Nagisa huffed.

Ryoma looked miffed. 'I don't want to pair up with Sato-senpai either…'

Ryuzaki-sensei held up a hand. 'Don't worry, Inui has already arranged the pairs. Nagisa, you'll be with Airi, and the two of you will be playing against Akie and Rie.'

Nagisa let out a very obvious and exaggerated sigh of relief. Airi, at least, would not get her injured, despite not being as skilled as Akari. Airi was admittedly still pretty good at doubles, though, much better than Nagisa was.

Also, Nagisa enjoyed spending time with Airi. Although Airi did not like to talk much, when she did, Nagisa found that her statements were so _deep _and they really made her think. Airi was expressive and kind and oddly calm.

From Akari, Nagisa had found out that Rie was a very good doubles player, although her doubles partner had graduated. Ryuzaki-sensei had suggested that she try partnering with Akie. Rie was the kind of girl who worked well with basically everybody.

The two pairs walked off to Court A to play a short match—first to nine points—each person was sent to guard a side of the court, and they were not allowed to land in other people's areas.

The losers, or rule breakers, would have to drink Inui Juice.

(Which apparently had chocolates added to it, per Akari's suggestion, but knowing Inui, the use of his other, far worse, ingredients would drown out the sweetness of the chocolate)

Still, Nagisa had to admire Akari's skill at holding sway over Inui's perverse ideas.

Rie served first, which Airi quickly intercepted with a neat volley. Akie tapped it back, and soon a rally got going.

Rie sent the ball skidding towards the centre, the line between Airi's half and Nagisa's half. Before Nagisa could rashly rush forward as she usually did, Airi called out _mine!_ and hit the ball back in a flawless winner, earning the Sato-Fukui pair a point.

'That's amazing, Airi-senpai!' Nagisa cheered. Airi appeared _good _but not a standout in singles, but she really had an instinct for doubles.

'It's okay, we'll get them next time,' Rie called, flashing Akie a dazzling smile.

Later, another rally began. Nagisa saw the ball flying towards her, towards the baseline, and lunged forward gracefully for it, her racquet hitting it and sending it flying.

It hit the tiny square between the doubles court and the singles court. It was in, but barely.

It was a shocking winner. Nagisa began to whoop out loud in early celebration, but—

—the momentum was too great, it seemed. Her leap…she'd ended up landing in Airi's half.

She and Airi sprinted for the water fountains.

_What had Inui put in that juice? Jalapenos?_

**~X~**

On Court B, the mixed pairs—Fuji and Akari against Tezuka and Chiyo—were playing. Chiyo looked terrified at playing doubles with Tezuka, which was, in Fuji's opinion, pretty amusing to watch.

Fuji and Akari were tied with Tezuka and Chiyo, 8 all. They just had to reach one more. The idea of Tezuka drinking Inui Juice appealed heavily to Fuji.

Although Tezuka was usually expected to win everything immediately just because he was Tezuka, this certainly did not apply to doubles.

His partner Chiyo just managed to weakly tap back a powerful shot from Akari. The return came towards Akari again, and she drew her arm for a—

A war cry pierced through the air.

Akari dropped her racquet. 'Nagisa-chan?' She stuttered, looking to the adjacent court where Nagisa had leapt into the air and was preparing to smash the ball. Did her friend have to be so dramatic?

Fuji had to admit, he could almost see the passion, the joy, the fire emanating from the younger girl.

He barely noticed the delightful (in his opinion only) taste of Inui's new juice when he was forced (willingly) to drink it as punishment for losing.

_Who are you, Sato Nagisa? _

_Show me._

**~X~**

Soon, everyone had finished their games and the ones who'd lost had recovered from Inui Juice. It was odd how Kaede could maintain a poker face even when drinking Inui Juice (she and Kawamura had lost to the Momoshiro-Ayame pair)

The district preliminaries were this weekend, and Ryuzaki-sensei had decided to announce the roster now. They weren't using their strongest lineup—they were going to mix everything up a bit until they met a powerful school.

Ayame was in Singles 1 with Rie in Singles 2 and Nagisa in Singles 3. Akari and Akie were Doubles 1 and Chiyo and Airi were Doubles 2.

Everyone was okay with what they would be playing—

—until Ryuzaki-sensei announced that _Ryoma _and _Momoshiro _would be playing _doubles._

Well then…

**~X~**

'How was school, Nagisa?' Nagisa's mother asked. Nagisa wanted to snap a retort—since when did you care?—but decided against it. Usually her mother was home really late—she was busy with work—but today, she was home before dinner.

'Um, fine. My tournament is on the weekend. I'm playing Singles 3,' She settled for saying. She couldn't help the hopeful tone that crept into her voice—but she knew her mother wouldn't go to see her.

'What tournament?'

Nagisa looked down. 'Never mind…'

'Get changed out of those smelly clothes, darling…' her mother sighed. 'I've got a dress specially tailored for you, go on it's up in your room, you'll look beautiful! We've got a dinner party with some other large corporations Saturday night, okay? And I finally get to bring you!'

It wasn't that her mother didn't try. It was simply that her mother _sucked._

**~X~**

_**A/N: **__I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please leave me a review to tell me what you think (positive feedback and constructive criticism will be welcomed—flames will be laughed at)_

_**Some random facts about…Hara Ayame! **__Please also check out my Ayame-centric super short oneshot—called 'all roads that lead me here'_

_Her birthday is on the 6th of April._

_Her most embarrassing childhood memory was when she mistook an swim fin for a shark at the beach and the lifeguards actually believed her cry of alarm and everyone was asked to return to shore. _

_Her favourite food is peach jelly._

_Her preferred type of boy is someone cheerful, funny and a little bit awkward._

_Her dream profession is to be a doctor._

_Her favourite colour is pale pinkish gold like the dawn._

_Her best subject is History._

_Her worst subject is Economics._

_She once modelled for a children's clothing brand. _


	6. Dancing In This World Alone

**FALLING UP CH 6**

**~x~**

_can anybody hear me?_

_or am I talking to myself?_

_my mind is running empty_

**~x~**

_**Disclaimer: **__I don't own Prince of Tennis—or 'Astronaut' by Simple Plan—lyrics at the top. _

_**GUYS APPRECIATE THE SPEED AT WHICH I'M UPDATING. APPRECIATE**_** IT. _ALSO APPRECIATE MY LONG CHAPTERS._****_ THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO FOLLOWED. THIS CHAPTER IS FOR_ YOU.**

Rie was up at the crack of dawn. She usually liked to sleep in, but today was Match Day and Match Days were special. She never could sleep the night before Match Days.

(She never could sleep the night before social functions either)

Everyone thought of Rie as confident and charismatic and polished—no, she had to give that to Akari. She wasn't like that, really. Rie only faked strength. She could never close her heart and be truly composed like Akari. She could never blaze through life like Nagisa.

She was just Rie. She hid behind a fake world of sparkles and wealth and yacht parties and extravangancy. But underneath all that, she was just Rie. She had her faults.

(The main one being that she was a faker through and through)

She relished in the luxury. She enjoyed all the wealth and fun that came with it. But she was also scared—if she were to be stripped of her inheritance, who would she be? She would just be an ordinary girl—she was good at tennis, yes, but nowhere near good enough to be considered a prodigy or miracle. She would just be ordinary and struggling to live and succeed in the world without her parents' backing and financial backing and her many maids and butlers.

Rie hated that the usual stereotype of extremely rich girls, especially teenage heiresses of various corporations and enterprises. She lived to break that, to shatter that. That was why she was so friendly with everyone. That was why she was so kind and charitable and liked to step in when she saw someone being treated badly.

She didn't want to be considered weak and shallow and spoilt and mean, just a pretty face. She was so much more than that.

(Really?)

There were times where Rie was unsure of herself, though. She'd always have to rely on her wealth to get her way. She would always have to fake her emotions and try to be strong and charismatic when she really wasn't.

But today even she couldn't afford to do that.

Today was Match Day and she couldn't afford to think negatively. She had to lock away all her insecurities about what she was doing and put on that mask as best as she could. She had to pretend because sometimes that felt like all she knew to do.

She had to pretend to be the reliable vice captain. She had to, even though she knew that there would be one day when she wouldn't be able to.

Rie dressed quickly and made her way down to the sunny breakfast parlour that was very much modern and not traditional Japanese at all (her father liked new beginnings and new eras—something Rie wished she could have, but—)

'Ah, Rie-san!' One of the maids greeted her. 'What would you like to have for breakfast? You have a match today, don't you? Well, I'll get cooking immediately! The usual, dear?' Rie felt a tiny bit bitter that her maids treated her with more warmth than her parents ever could make the time for.

'Ah, yes, please,' she smiled at her maid. That was the best she could do to thank them, really thank them, because in her mind, money meant little—it was just a sum, just something solid and there but—feelings were more, emotions were more and words were more. They were possibilities and new beginnings.

Rie loved words. When she was young, she'd sit and write and write and write. She'd write about a girl whose parents went to her tennis matches and gave her hugs instead of expensive designer label dresses. She'd write about a girl who lunched on poorly pieced together sushi made by her mother instead of fancy French dishes made by professional chefs.

When she was about twelve or so, she'd decided to stop writing those stupid stories that would never come true. They were delusional and they sounded ungrateful. She shouldn't complain about her wealth when around the world children starved.

(Well, actually, that sounded pretentious—but still. Rie was pretentious, she knew, so what else was goddamn different?)

Now, she still wrote, but she wrote about girls finding monsters inside of themselves.

(She still needed an ending though—what happened? Would the monsters ever go away—probably not)

After breakfast, the butler tried to insist on driving her to the tennis courts, but she knew she'd just cause a fuss. Instead, Rie texted Ayame—_can I come to your place?_ and grabbed her favourite rusted _previously _neon orange bike—and headed there.

Rie adored Ayame's place. Although hints of an aura of gloom still lingered around the should've-been-warm house, it was still a friendly place. It was better to her cold and empty and expansive mansion.

Also, Rie genuinely loved Ayame's parents. Not that her own parents treated her badly—in fact, they spoilt her, but—her parents were rarely there. It was always some business trip or convention.

'Rie!' Ayame rushed forward to hug her friend as soon as Rie rang the doorbell.

'Hi, Ayame,' she smiled. 'We still have two hours before we have to get to the courts—what do you want to do?'

Ayame's mother hustled through before Ayame could reply, ushering Rie in and humming American pop off tune.

They soon headed to Ayame's room after Ayame's mother shoved packets of junk food into their arms and told them to enjoy themselves.

'So…hi,' Rie said softly. She hadn't bothered to brush her hair properly this morning—it fell over her face and tufts of it fluffed up. Nor was she bothering to put on a beautiful, dazzling smile. Her real smile was soft and shy and crooked and hopeful. Ayame liked that—

—But.

The pink haired girl was also pretty confused on why Rie sometimes dropped her mask—if Ayame could've successfully pulled off that perfect image, she would've worn it all the time. Ayame selfishly even wished that Rie wouldn't. She wished that Rie wouldn't—because it showed that nobody was perfect, not even Rie.

And that made Ayame feel worse because what right did people like Rie and Yuki have to be able to wear that mask, to seem confident and capable, if they weren't perfect? Why couldn't Ayame pretend like they did?

Was it that they were simply better than Ayame? No, that was stupid, wasn't it? Nobody could be better than somebody else—some people may be better than Ayame at tennis—but—there was no such thing as just existing better.

Ayame forced a smile—she wasn't good at forcing emotions at all—but she had to try.

Then: 'Hey,' she found herself whispering. It was a light word, really, but when Ayame said it, it seemed so heavy—weighed down by guilt and confusion and weighed emotions and

_What right do you have to just exist better than me? I want to be like you but I can't and that's not fair._

**~x~**

Akie and Kaede were at the courts early. Akie had suggested that they come really early so they could warm up by themselves and Kaede could give her some last minute coaching—she was after all very nervous about her match. She didn't want to let Akari down.

In fact, Akie was nervous about a lot of things. She hated the way people looked at her, yet a part of her wanted them to look at her, to see her play tennis, to just see her and acknowledge her existence.

_Look at me tell me I'm good notice me want to be my friend no look away I don't want to stuff up in front of you._

Kaede, meanwhile, readily agreed, despite not really being nervous—or caring much for that matter. But Akie had wormed her way into her heart. Akie was sweet and soft and caring and everything Kaede wanted to be—everything Kaede used to be.

That hurt, but.

Kaede was done with petty emotions such as jealousy and bitterness. She didn't need to make herself an even worse person than she already was. And she found that befriending this innocent, pure, eager to please girl made her nicer, better, kinder. Kaede genuinely liked helping Akie with her tennis—especially improving her net play, which Akie showed potential in—even though Kaede wasn't really a net player, Kaede wanted to help.

She wanted people to notice Akie and to appreciate Akie in the way Kaede herself hadn't been feeling very appreciated of late.

The girls agreed to play a light one set match. Akie had been getting better, a lot better. She and Kaede often frequented the street courts. They never spoke much except for about tennis, but their friendship worked nonetheless. They never pried into each other's business and that was that.

To the surprise of both girls, Kaede let Akie win this match—6 games to 4. Kaede saw the way Akie tried to shrink away in class—they had some classes together—_look at me don't look at me_—and she badly wanted to improve Akie's confidence.

_Nobody, especially not a kind girl like Shiori Akie, should have to feel that insecure. I know what it feels like and it's not a good feeling. And she's ten times the person I am—she deserves it a lot less than I do. Besides, a girl like her would break._

Soon, the rest of the team arrived—including the sub regulars and the boys—the boys had their matches right after the girls.

Coach Ryuzaki told the boys to simply 'don't lose', and the girls were given to the hands of Ayame and Rie to 'deal with', which was probably the old woman's way of saying 'look after'.

(Kaede liked the coach. She imagined that in forty years time, she would be the Ryuzaki-sensei to a bunch of kids—innocent, sweet, Akie-like kids—and she'd probably rule the team the same way)

'Alright, guys!' Rie clapped her hands together. 'Let's listen to the girl of the hour—introducing your captain, the one and only Hara Ayame! Hey, where's my fanfare?'

Nagisa let out a half-hearted fanfare, which sounded like a trampled elephant—or maybe she was just clearing her throat. Anyway.

'Yeah, anyway, what she said. I'm Ayame but you guys all know that—anyway. Just. Don't go all out—that's not our purpose in the district preliminaries—and don't look _too _intimidating,' Ayame said. 'Okay, so our opponents are Mizuho High School—that's them there—' she gestured to a school dressed in light blue and black—'yeah. They're not strong, they usually don't get to the district finals. Knocked out in the third round last year. Only player that's relatively competent is their Singles 1. They have doubles pairs with good teamwork, though, so maybe we shouldn't have randomly assembled pairs, but in terms of skill, they're not that good. So. Good luck.' She really wasn't good at this…

The two teams walked onto their assigned court after registering, and they lined up to shake hands. Ayame shook hands with their captain and Singles 1—the girl she acknowledged as 'relatively competent'—and Akie nervously clasped the hand of a girl twice her size. Kaede gave bitch face to the girl she shook hands with, like _oh what the fuck are you looking at I'm not Aoki Kaede like totally but I'm just as goddamn scary._

(That was her default competition face—if she pretended that she wasn't scared at all—then she had a better chance of winning)

**~x~**

Chiyo and Airi got onto the court for Doubles 2—nobody was quite sure why they were thrown together as a doubles pair—doubles pairs were usually really quite random in early stages of tournaments—like Ryoma and Momoshiro. Chiyo felt a lot more relaxed, seeing as they couldn't possibly do worse than Ryoma and Momoshiro.

'You'll be okay, Ishii-chan,' Airi smiled kindly.

_Hold on don't cry it's okay, you'll be okay—_then: _what am I doing, I can't think back to _that _this is a match I can't disappoint Fukui—_

Chiyo served.

'Ishii-san has excellent form,' Inui remarked from where he was collecting data. 'The arch of her back…the power of the serve…'

'She's so _graceful _in the way she moves—it's like she's dancing,' Ayame murmured. 'I guess that comes from doing ballet…'

'ISHII-SENPAI! SUGOI!' Tomoka yelled from the sidelines as Chiyo hit a flawless winner that didn't touch any of her opponents' racquets.

Chiyo turned to look at the source of the noise, and gave Tomoka a triumphant smile. _This is like ballet all over again…it's partially for the audience too, isn't it? Well, in that case…this is my specialty. I don't mind performing, or showing off…finally I can do that again._

Akari frowned, however. 'She shouldn't overdo herself. She shouldn't go all out—that's not necessary at all. Her ankle…it could get hurt all over again.' Then she realized she said that aloud—thankfully nobody heard—she couldn't tell Chiyo's secret to the world.

Everybody, including Ishida Akari, had a secret.

On the court, Airi couldn't concentrate at all. While Chiyo was carrying the game, taking almost all the shots, she was also tiring at having to do this. She hadn't danced for a long time—her stamina wasn't as good as it had been.

Meanwhile, Airi was no use. Chiyo bit her lip. She loved having the spotlight on her—but couldn't that Airi help her a bit? What was she thinking? _I can't go all out—I'm coming close to—but I can't. I shouldn't risk my ankle. But—if we keep on going like this, I'll have to. Can't she do something?_

They were leading 2 games to 0, but the opponents had found their weakness. They kept hitting the ball to Airi, who always weakly tapped it back, her mind not on the game at all. Chiyo had to run and run to every shot in order to save it, because Airi couldn't. Or wouldn't.

'Can't you help me a bit?' Chiyo whispered angrily through gritted teeth. She may have the looks of an elegant, composed and regal queen—but not the temperament of one, clearly. She felt like throwing her racquet.

'It looks like they're having trouble,' Fuji murmured from the sidelines. 'No shit, Sherlock,' was Nagisa's reply. But her thoughts were: _Fukui-senpai is so much better than this…what's happening?_

Rie frowned, her cerulean eyes intently watching the game. _This is—the opponents are catching up—the score is 2-2 now…I think…is it possible that Fukui-chan's poor performance has something to do with her mother? Maybe I shouldn't have interfered—it must have made it worse._

Soon, as the doubles pairs headed off the court for a break, the referee announced that Seigaku was leading, 3-2. It was good, that they were leading, but…they could've done _a lot _better.

'What's going on out there?' Rie asked, her eyes hard. Airi dipped her head, while Chiyo huffed and grabbed her water bottle.

Rie lowered her voice so that nobody else could hear save for herself and Airi: 'Is it something your mother said? Is that why you can't concentrate?'

'Fukubuchou…what my mother said has nothing to do with you.' _Why are you being so nice to me? Are you really that concerned—or are you just nosy? Are you just one of those self-righteous people who just have to get involved in every single thing to prove you're so much better?_

**~x~**

_Come on, what's happening to me? Why can't I play?_

Airi could only hear her mother's voice inside her head: condemning and resigned. _You're worthless. Spineless. Weak. What happened at your practice the other day was because you couldn't stand up for yourself, so you needed a bratty rich girl to do it for you. You can't do anything. Now get out my sight—go on, practice practice practice! You need to practice!_

Then: _Doubles 2, Airi? That is outrageous. You should be Singles 1. I expect you to hit harder, work faster! Or maybe—maybe you just can't? Maybe I overestimated you. Maybe you can't even play tennis. What should I do with you?_

'Get it together, goddamnit! Tennis is tennis, don't overthink everything and make it some sort of psychological battle!' Chiyo snapped, poking Airi with her racquet. Airi felt tears stinging in her eyes.

_I can't make us lose. I can't disappoint Seigaku. I can't be a disgrace. I can't be weak! I have to do this, I have to I have to I have to—_

Airi straightened. 'Fine. I'm ready to play. Just serve the ball, already.' Her voice was steely and an exact imitation of her mother's.

'You know,' Chiyo sighed, 'I don't know what's your problem, but—I'll tell you this: don't think doubles is a soft option. Doubles is actually far more challenging than singles. Just because you're slotted into Doubles 2 doesn't mean you're weak. It means we're good enough to be the first to scare the shit out of Mizuho, right?'

Then she served.

A weird sensation flushed through Airi's body. _Ishii-chan…she was the one who was nervous…and now it's me. She's right…I'm not weak. I'm not nothing! _

They easily took a game.

Back in the stands, the team sighed with relief. 'Ishii-senpai was right,' Ryoma muttered. 'Tennis is tennis.'

_Oh, but tennis is mostly psychological…even though Ishii said what she said…it's a psychological battle for her too…she just tries not to care…_Akari thought. _It's psychological for me, too…the only one who's different is—Nagisa._

Said girl cheered and cheered enthusiastically when Seigaku won point after point.

_Who are you, Nagisa? You're bubbly. You're passionate. But—that's not you, is it? At least—not all of you._

Airi and Chiyo soon left the court after a 6-4 victory. Per Coach Ryuzaki's suggestion, they did not go all out—far from it—they hit a few spectacular shots, but—they let Mizuho win a few games.

_It's better that they think we are only so good as to defeat them narrowly—then for them to realize that we were fighting psychological battles in the first set—if they find out what's wrong with Airi—then that's not good at all._

'That Ishii is really good at doubles—maybe we can have her play with Rie—but—I was also thinking, she could be a really good singles player as well…' Coach Ryuzaki said quietly to Ayame.

'I think we should slot her in singles. Her temperament might clash with Rie's, actually. They're both headstrong. Ishii is nervous sometimes and tries not to show any emotion, she did today. While Rie is far more composed and stable and that could be an asset to the partnership…I still think Ishii Chiyo is better in singles.'

**~x~**

'We'll crush them,' Akari said grimly, as she and Akie walked onto the court. Akari took her place at the baseline and Akie at the net. She found that she rather liked Akie, despite Akie's dullish personality.

Akari had seen Akie practising by herself at a tennis club late into the night, and found new respect for her senpai. Akari herself never took tennis too seriously—yes, she was good, but she was never going to pursue it professionally—so why? She tried her best in practice, of course, but unless she had to, she never practiced.

Akie gave an enthusiastic nod. Her eyes were sparkling, and Akari suddenly realized why Kaede was so fond of her. Akie was everything most of the other girls in their team wasn't: she was enthusiastic and eager to learn and eager to please.

(Most of them had lost that when they were little kids)

Mizuho's doubles pair won the right to serve. Akie easily intercepted it at the net with a neat volley and sent it down the T of the opposite side of the court. One of the Mizuho girls tried to return it, but her return hit the net.

'Nice one, Shiori-senpai!' Tomoka cheered. Akari had to admit that that girl, although incredibly loud and annoying at times, was pretty adorable.

Akie's eyes lit up visibly, and her steps quickened.

Akari, meanwhile, felt a bit nervous. While most people were encouraged and motivated by cheers, she herself felt self-conscious. Sometimes it would work to her advantage, but other times, she'd just stuff up with so many people watching her.

She was scared of having to always keep up appearancese as the doubles ace—she knew she would lose one day—how would people react to that?

But, soon they were leading, 3-0.

'You've become a lot better,' Kaede said to Akie. Her voice isn't exactly proud or happy, but it's a compliment nonetheless and Akie's smile is so wide that it is in danger of slipping off her face.

'Akie-chan's volleys are really good, nya!' Kikumaru agreed, to which Akie blushed furiously and immediately denied.

Akari turned to Nagisa. 'So…on a scale of 1 to 10, how awesome was I? 11, right?' she grinned. She had to act cocky, because if she didn't show how insecure she could be at times, then—how would she get others to respect her if she couldn't even respect herself?

Nagisa deadpanned, '13.9745655.'

'No, I think it's more like 13.974565_4_,' Fuji interjected. Nagisa shot him a look that was half-charged and challenging, half-amused.

'Yeah, _yeah,_' she rolled her eyes. 'Come to that empty court to hit with me. I need someone to warm up with.'

_Nagisa-chan, you're playing with fire. Oh wait, you are the fire, so…_

_I guess you can take care of yourself pretty damn well._

_Not like me, anyway._

**~x~**

'May I ask,' Fuji said with a wry smile, 'why is it that out of all your possible victims, you chose _me _to decimate and dissemble through your very frightening tennis skills?'

'Because I am hopelessly in love with you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you,' Nagisa said sarcastically. 'And _my _frightening tennis skills? You're the genius here.'

She served a ball, a wicked grin on her face.

**~x~**

Akari's shot was so powerful that the girl who stupidly—or bravely—tried to return it had her racquet ripped out of her hands. It was strange how much power Akari could wield—she was visibly well muscled, but she never did any special training.

_It runs in the family, _Akari smirked inwardly.

'Ishida-chan, your tennis is really amazing,' Akie sighed admiringly.

'_Thank_ you,' Akari responded curtly, although there was dancing light in her eyes.

A rally began again, but soon after, Akie ended it with a drop shot. She began a small victory dance, then realized that no, she wasn't in her bedroom, and stopped, grinning awkwardly and blushing.

Akari shook her head fondly. _You're pretty random, but I think…I think I'd like to play doubles with you._

**~x~**

Kaede was a little miffed at being benched—but mostly because she was bored out of her mind. But watching Akie's match—that was pretty amusing.

She felt a little bitter that Akari was the one playing with Akie, but she also felt that she owed Akari—for playing all out and not pitying Kaede, but treating her as a worthy opponent.

_Thank you. I think that I'd like you to play doubles with Akie too._

They had a strange sort of silent understanding, Kaede and Akari did.

It was probably a result of their match—playing all out was incredibly intimate in a way.

**~x~**

When Nagisa and Fuji returned, Akie and Akari had just exited the court after a 6—1 victory.

'I knew you guys would thrash them,' Nagisa grinned, chucking a towel so that it hit Akari's face. 'Just like I completely thrashed Fuji-senpai.'

'She's not being serious,' Fuji smiled.

Akari pulled the towel off her face and stared at him with those stone cold eyes.

But she knew better than to ask him anything, because all she'd ever get was a smile, a don't mind me expression and a calm, vague response.

**~x~**

'I look forward to having a good game with you!' The girl shaking Nagisa's hand beamed. She was short and plump and very pretty, with bleached blonde curls and lovely blue eyes. She was also remarkably friendly, which made Nagisa feel kind of bad, because if her opponent was friendly, it was harder to defeat them without feeling some guilt.

But what the hell. 'So do I, Tsugi-san,' she smiled back.

Nagisa quickly learnt that her opponent was good—excellent ball control, but. The other girl's shots were completely devoid of spin or aggression and soon Nagisa found her weakness.

She couldn't take Twist Kites. She would always duck when Nagisa's shot spun towards her face. Nagisa felt pretty awful for having to do this, but it was for the sake of tennis.

That is, until one of her Twist Kites hit Tsugi in the face.

'Oh my _gods _are you okay?' Nagisa rushed over, leaping across the net, completely disregarding the calls of _don't go over the net!_

In tennis, going over the net to your opponent was not allowed.

But screw the rules.

'I'm fine, Sato-san,' Tsugi said boldly. 'I know you didn't mean to hit me. Let's continue with the game, shall we?'

'Okay…if you're sure.'

Nagisa was winning 3—0—she would've gone easy on the other girl, but she was already leading 2—0, 40—0 when Tsugi got injured, so there wasn't much point.

When Nagisa got back to the Seigaku stands for a break, Ayame frowned. 'Nagisa-chan, you should never go across the net to the opponent's side.'

'But she was injured!' Nagisa protested.

Rie held up her hand. 'In some tournaments, they could even disqualify you for that. The rules weren't as strict here compared to where you came from, but this is Japan and discipline is—'

'—a major part of life and blah blah blah,' Nagisa finished, not really knowing what she was saying.

She loved tennis, but—she loved being a good person even more. Because if she acted like a good person, then she could ignore the bad thoughts running through her mind when

the days were dark and she wasn't sure of herself.

Nagisa stepped back onto the court, the others having finally stopped trying to lecture her.

Tsugi actually managed to take a game off Nagisa this time—but Nagisa still won, 6—1.

**~x~**

'Go thrash them, Rie-senpai!' Tomoka and the freshman trio shouted from the sidelines.

Rie tightened her grip on the racquet. _Okay, game face on. I have to do this. Imitate Aoki's bitch face and I'll be fine._

She appeared confident—but she was actually far more nervous before games than most other people. She was used to faking a mask of confidence and closing off her walls—but that didn't mean she thought she was very good at doing that.

She wished that she didn't have to play—but at the first round, all five matches had to be played.

Rie served, her muscles tense. It always took her a few minutes before she relaxed and almost forgot that there were many people watching. She wasn't like Nagisa—who could instantly forget about the world when she played—for Nagisa, playing on the courts was like an escape, almost. For Rie, it was like a masquerade, an act, just another social function or something, trying to please other people.

Not winnning for yourself, but for _others._

Rie loved tennis, she really did, but sometimes she wondered if she was just playing for the sake of pleasing her team and maintaining her reputation as the girl who could do just about anything—instead of for fun, because she loved it.

There were many things Rie would give up when it got too hard, because in her mind, she was the weak sort of girl who couldn't keep going. To her, she didn't have the determination to withstand pain and loss—because she'd always had everything handed to her in a silver platter.

She always tried so hard not to be weak or spoilt, trying to defy the stereotype of a rich girl—but she wasn't sure if she had succeeded. What was the point of trying to defy something that was obvious in you?

It didn't have anything to do with being rich—that was society's wrong interpretation—maybe it was just something to do with _Rie._

_I'm not strong willed. Please don't think that. You'll just get disappointed._

15-0. _You're amazing, you know that? Your parents must be soooo proud of you!_

30-0. _I'm not please don't think that I'm really not that great, it's all a lie._

40-0. _Oh, Rie…you're like God's best attempt to create a Mary Sue! _

1-0. _Um, I'll take that as a compliment?_

15-0. _You're rich, but you're not stuck up at all! You're strong willed and so talented!_

15-15. 30-15. 30-30.

_Game. _

_Advantage._

_Service._

_Love._

_Fault._

_Tennis really tells the story of my life, doesn't it._

Rie exited the court, having won 6—2.

But she felt as if she'd lost.

**~x~**

'That was great, Rie,' Ayame smiled. 'Now it's my turn! After this and the boys' matches, we can go to have sushi again.'

Ayame stepped onto the court. _I guess it's up to me, huh. I like this. It makes me feel…useful, to be Singles 1 and be able to play._

The other team's Singles 1 got the first serve. Ayame quickly learnt that she was powerful, with excellent ball control to match as well.

But Ayame was a lot better.

_15-0. This is no competition really._

_30-15. Okay so her serve is something, but…_

_40-15._

_1-0._

_I'm the one who deserves to win…_

Or was she?

Ayame knew what it felt like to be inferior, to never be able to win, to not even be taken seriously, because _honestly Ayame, you? Win?_

But wasn't that how she treated her opponents? She never thought of them with any respect—she was cocky, almost. This was evident in the smug smile that graced her delicate features, the certainty in which she returned the ball, the simple shots she used with a mocking glint in her eye when her opponent failed to return even those.

That was how Yuki played with her, and it hurt.

But…life is about winning, to her. If she was thought of as weak and childish and a delicate little princess, then…the least she could do to prove her family wrong was to bring home tennis trophies.

(She'd always lost to Yuki, but they'd always been in different age categories…yet, still)

_How could I think that I deserve to win? The other girl is a captain as well. She's got a team as well. She's got a _life. _This isn't some sports manga. This is _life. _Nobody is allowed to simply have a right to be better than somebody else._

But wasn't life…tennis?

_Advantage._

_Service._

_Fault._

_Love._

_Game._

Those were all words that had to do with life. To Ayame, maybe tennis was her life.

_I shouldn't think like this. This is a _match.

Ayame was leading 3—0, but the other girl had come close to taking a game off her several times—but then again Ayame wasn't playing to her true potential. (She never did—unless against Yuki—but Yuki was _dead_, so…not even Rie saw her true tennis)

_But…I know that one day, I'll meet somebody better than me. They might not deserve to win any more than I do, but…they'll be irrefutably better, and I'll have to use _it.

Ayame knew that better than anybody. _Might as well enjoy crushing an opponent while I can._

It made her feel better, stronger.

The other girl managed to hold serve for two games, and also won in a deuce, so that she brought the score to 5—3.

But Ayame was _better_ and she liked that and she used that to her advantage.

She won, 6—3.

**~x~**

Although this was only the first round of the district preliminaries, everybody still felt like celebrating. The boys won all of their five matches easily as well—with the possible exception of the Momoshiro-Echizen doubles pair…which didn't exactly do _too _well.

Ahem.

Anyway.

Kaede sat alone at the counter. Akie had to go home—she'd muttered something about a family reunion—so Kaede was…alone. She was used to that, because before Akie, she'd always been alone.

Even as a pro. Unlike Nagisa, Kaede stuck to the rules and never ever crossed the net to her opponent's side. Tennis was, in her opinion, a very lonely sport.

She knew how to deal with being alone. But still…she felt kind of empty now that Akie wasn't here to share smiles with. They never talked about anything deep and meaningful—both girls were rather reserved—but they were happy with their light friendship.

Kaede liked Akie, and she thought that maybe, she could even confide in her one day.

Akie seemed like the kind of person who wouldn't judge. She'd simply sit quietly and offer a reassuring smile and ask if there was anything she could do.

Akie was used to the answer no. That was all anybody had ever said to her, it seemed.

Kaede felt bad—how could she ever say no to Akie? But…

'_You _ask her!'

'No, you!'

'Don't tell me what to do, you're not my senpai!'

'I am your senpai in terms of tennis experience!'

'_Fine!_ Both of you, shut up! I, Osakada Tomoka, will do it! Aoki-senpai, can we please get your autograph?'

'Eh?' was Kaede's intelligent response. 'My autograph?'

'Yeah! Because you were a former pro, and we all admire you so much!' Tomoka gushed. Behind her was that freshman Horio—and his friends, the two other freshmen.

'Um, okay…' Kaede signed Tomoka's napkin.

She'll never admit it, but she liked those kids.

She used to be one of them—wide eyed and starstruck at the sight of a professional tennis player. She still wanted to be an innocent.

**~x~**

'Oh, you're finally home,' Nagisa's mother, Akiko, sighed. 'Go to your room and get showered and changed, okay? We have a dinner party to attend—it's held by one of my university friends—and many executives from corporations are going to attend—this will be very important for our family corporation, so I expect you to treat this seriously and act accordingly, alright?'

Nagisa groaned, inwardly, but she allowed the family maid to escort her up the stairs (like she needed help with that) and into her bedroom.

'There's the dress, Nagisa-san!' The maid smiled.

The dress was…the dress was…

**~x~**

Nagisa stepped out of the limousine and allowed a butler to escort her into the mansion. Mansion wasn't even the right word for it—more like modernized castle. It belonged to the friend her mother had mentioned.

_I should've just stayed in Arizona…we were rich there too, and had rich friends, but this is just…holy…_

But 'holy' was more of the right word to describe Nagisa herself.

She had always been stunningly pretty, with her large expressive amber eyes, creamy skin and lush brown hair—but wearing the dress—a fine cocktail number made of dark purple threads with embedded pearls and sequins—that looked both slinky and elegant at the same time—she looked too lovely to be real.

Her mother immediately ditched her to engage in conversation with a gaggle of well-dressed middle aged women, and they launched into an animated discusssion on the value of the American dollar and how it will affect exports and a lot of things Nagisa did not understand.

She glanced around the room. 'Dinner party' was too much of an litote—it failed to convey the expanse of the dining hall. A glittering chandelier hung from the ceiling. Velvet curtains adorned the wall-to-floor windows. The tables had various kinds of exotic foods and fancy desserts and wines.

In the adjoining ballroom, many couples were waltzing. Nagisa wondered where to go—she didn't know anyone—until a flash of pink hair caught her eye.

'_Fukui-_senpai?' she whirled around and asked.

The girl turned, and it was indeed Fukui Airi. Airi was looking very pretty too, in a cream number and a silver circlet adorning her wavy pink hair.

'Oh, Nagisa-chan! I didn't expect to see you here…' She was smiling, and Nagisa was happy, because Airi's smile did not look fake at all—in fact, Airi looked genuinely happy to be here with Nagisa.

'Honda-fukubuchou sometimes attends these parties as well, but her parents are overseas, so I suppose she didn't see any need to attend,' Airi added.

They made some more small talk, until Airi's mother—that Fukui Kana—seriously, where was the family resemblance?—came to whisk Airi away, demanding that she needed to meet the Suzukis' young son.

So Nagisa was left alone again.

_Oh well, might as well get some food._

She headed towards the macaroons—they were the only food she recognized at the table closest to her.

She reached out to grab one, but a little child trod on her dress, tripping her and making her stumble and drop the macaroon into a bowl of alcoholic punch.

'Dropping food is terribly plebeian,' somebody remarked.

Nagisa didn't look up, and immediately scowled as an instinctive response, along with the words: 'Your face is terribly plebeian.' That was a lame comeback, but compared to a guy who used _plebeian _in a sentence…well, she was justified.

'Ore-sama's face is well-scuplted and has been praised by many to be a fine masterpiece, thank you, commoner,' came the languid drawl.

Nagisa looked up this time, and saw a gray-haired boy a little older than her wearing a designer suit. He was very good-looking, and Nagisa, as a teenage girl, was all too aware of this, but:

'Who calls themselves _ore-sama _and does not suffer serious social consequences?' she said indignantly. 'And my _name _is Sato Nagisa!'

'Atobe Keigo,' the boy said grandly, offering Nagisa his hand.

She took it cautiously. 'You still haven't responded to my question about your ore-sama thing!'

'Ore-sama can get away with whatever he wants—in fact, he even has an island named after him,' Atobe said. Nagisa wasn't sure if he was being serious or not—but what the hell.

'_I _have a _mine _named after me back in Arizona!' She joked.

'I have _sixteen_ mines named after me,' Atobe smirked.

_He cannot be fucking serious. Well, at least he dropped the ore-sama thing._

Nagisa sighed. 'Well, who are you? Another son of a business tycoon, perhaps?'

'I am the heir to Atobe Corporations—and this small residence is owned by my family. You are the heiress to Sato Enterprises, am I correct?'

'_SMALL RESIDENCE? _And your family? That means…your parents are the friends my mother was talking about?'

'Ore-sama is delighted to make your acquantaince and can only hope that you become less plebeian in future, if our families are to frequently see each other.'

'ARRRRGGHHHHH!'

This evening went like this for quite some time, until:

'May I have this dance?'

Atobe held out his hand to Nagisa. He saw that there were now many couples dancing in the ballroom—and to not take the chance to outshine them would be _terribly plebeian._

'But I don't know how to dance—'

'Ore-sama shall wow you with his prowess, and you, commoner, shall follow as thus.' He led her to the dance floor and the musicians struck up a tango number, and Nagisa spent the rest of the night being kicked and stepped on and flung about.

(Although most of it was admittedly due to her inability to keep up)

**~x~**

'The dinner party was fun, wasn't it, dear? I got to spend time with the Atobes—old friends of mine—again. I heard you got acquainted with their darling son, is that right?'

'Don't. Even. Mention. It!'

**~x~**

_**A/N: **__Did you like it or did you like it? Just kidding. Tell me what you thought! Constructive criticism is welcomed but flames shall be mocked because hating without reason is terribly plebeian._

_I really love Atobe._

_Poor Nagisa._

_**Some random facts about Honda Rie**_

_Her birthday is on the 22nd of December._

_She has a cruise liner named after her._

_Her favourite food is marmalade cake._

_Her preferred type of boy is someone cocky and sociable._

_Her dream profession is to be one of those journalists who travel the world to places where conflict is happening or to unexplored foreign lands._

_Her favourite colour is dark purple._

_Her best subject is Economics._

_Her worst subject is Chemistry._

_Her next best sport is ice skating._

_**Next chapter won't be tennis-full, don't worry.**_

_**ALSO DO YOU GUYS WANT ROMANCE IN THIS STORY? :D :D :D **_

_I can make it happen. Tell me in a review or it won't. Probably. That is depending on whether I submit to my cravings or not._

_**REVIEW.**_


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